


Shooting Stars and Shimmering Waves

by ukulelekatie



Category: Carmilla (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Childhood Friends, Cruise Ships, F/F, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Mutual Pining, Pining, Slow Burn, it's a ship on a ship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-16
Updated: 2018-06-05
Packaged: 2018-08-09 01:35:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 31,521
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7781758
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ukulelekatie/pseuds/ukulelekatie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Laura breaks up with her fiancée and needs someone to go with her on her honeymoon. Who better to ask than her best friend?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Special thanks to my magnificent beta, [monicaoakwood](http://monicaoakwood.tumblr.com).

Carmilla let out a sigh of relief as she reached for the door of her 6th floor apartment. It had been a particularly long day at work, and on top of that, she had gotten stuck in more traffic than usual on the way home. Now, all she wanted was to curl up on the couch with one of her favorite books and not talk to anyone for at least twelve hours. She pushed the door open after hearing the gentle click of the key in the lock, then set her bag down onto the floor. With a swift motion of her foot, she kicked the door closed and began walking toward her bedroom. She desperately needed to get out of her uncomfortable work clothes. 

She scanned her bedroom in search of something less constricting. God, the place was a mess. Various items of clothing were strewn about the floor and on her unmade bed. Dirty dishes stacked up next to the pile of empty water bottles she had been too lazy to recycle. Her clean laundry lay unfolded in a laundry basket by the door. One drawer on her nightstand was so full of junk that Carmilla could barely close it. It had been a long time since Carmilla had tidied the room, but the mess never bothered her. It wasn't like she needed to clean in order to impress a guest—most of her nights were spent alone, anyway.

Finally, Carmilla spotted the pair of sweatpants she had discarded onto the floor that morning. She kicked off her shoes and peeled off her tight leather pants, replacing them with the clothing item she had just picked up. She had no luck finding a t-shirt, though, so she made her way over to the closet and began searching the hangers for something to wear. 

Her eyes locked onto the silky lilac-colored dress that seemed to stick out like a sore thumb among her collection of black garments. The day Carmilla would have to wear that dress was fast approaching, and she dreaded every second of it. That day, she would have to stand at an altar in a quaint little chapel and watch Laura Hollis, the woman she had loved nearly all her life, get married to someone else.

As Laura's maid of honor, no less. 

She and Laura had been best friends for longer than either of them could remember. Where there was Laura, there was Carmilla. It was just the kind of effortless, comfortable friendship that clicked right from the moment they met. The two of them constantly got themselves into all sorts of mischief, much to the dismay of Laura's overprotective father and Carmilla's strict mother. The memories of Carmilla's youth were filled with long summer nights spent lying in the grass in the backyard of Laura's house, whispering secrets under the starry sky. 

Laura was always there for Carmilla no matter what, and Carmilla was always devoted to making sure Laura was happy. They had been through everything together, from broken bones to broken hearts. If one girl was feeling upset or angry or scared, the other would always be there to cheer her friend up.

And so that became their tradition right from the first time Laura got her heart broken in middle school. Carmilla was devoted to making her feel happy again. And when it happened to Carmilla, Laura was right there to return the favor. Carmilla always felt safe and warm whenever Laura was around. 

It wasn't until much much later that Carmilla understood that this feeling was love. But by then, they had gone their separate ways to different universities, and although they kept in touch, it wasn't the same as it used to be.

A few weeks into the fall semester of her first year, Carmilla found herself dating Ell. She was gorgeous—long golden hair, shiny blue eyes, and a cute little mole on one cheek. Carmilla was absolutely head over heels for Ell, but the girl ended up being a total heartbreaker. Unable to handle the commitment Carmilla wanted from her, she dumped Carmilla via text over the holidays, claiming that she just wasn’t looking for something serious.

Carmilla was devastated. Thankfully, Laura had been home for winter break at the time, so Carmilla did what she had done after any of her now seemingly insignificant high school breakups: find Laura.

The two had curled up together in a large fluffy blanket and watched reruns of Carmilla's favorite shows while stuffing their faces with junk food until morning came. And it wasn't until that night, when she was wrapped up in her best friend's arms, that Carmilla realized who she had been in love with that whole time. 

She was absolutely terrified. 

There were a million questions racing through her mind at that point. How was she supposed to deal with having feelings for her best friend? How would she build up the courage to tell her? What if she told Laura, and Laura didn't like her back? What if it ruined their friendship? It was a recipe for disaster.

In the end, she decided not to tell Laura. And as it turned out, it didn't matter anyway, because soon after, Laura started dating Danny.

Carmilla was first introduced to Danny in the middle of their junior year, when she had visited Laura at university. The two were so into each other it was gross. The lanky ginger followed Laura around like a lost puppy, and Laura was constantly staring at her with big, round, heart eyes. But the worst part was that Carmilla could see exactly why Laura had fallen for her. She was tall, pretty, athletic, and charming. What wasn't admirable about Danny Lawrence?

Things were sort of awkward after that. Laura began to bring Danny along everywhere she went. What once was "Laura and Carmilla" became "Laura and Danny... and Carmilla." Carmilla had become the third wheel, and she absolutely despised it. 

But nothing hurt more than the night Laura called Carmilla to break the news that she and Danny were engaged. Carmilla barely paid attention as Laura chattered on and on about the details. She couldn't pay attention when there was an intense ringing in her ears and it felt like her heart was shattering into a million pieces. 

She spent that night alone, unsure of what to do. Any other time she was feeling down, her first instinct was to run straight for Laura, let Laura soothe the pain. 

But what could she do when the only person who could mend her broken heart was the one who broke it in the first place?

The situation only got worse from there. With Carmilla as the maid of honor, she was forced into all of the wedding planning. Thankfully, Laura and Danny had only wanted a small, intimate ceremony, so there wasn't much for Carmilla to do. Still, Laura dragged her along to things like dress fittings, all the while blabbing on and on about the wedding. All Carmilla could do was nod and pretend to be happy for her best friend.

And of course there was the speech. It was Carmilla’s duty to give one during the reception, and she was dreading having to write it.

Carmilla exhaled deeply and pushed the dress aside. Now was not the time to perseverate on these troubles. Now was the time to pour herself a much-deserved drink and escape to a book for a few hours. 

Finally, she found an old band t-shirt to change into. After unbuttoning the top she was wearing and tossing it to the ground, she slipped the t-shirt on and slunk into the living room of her apartment. She then settled onto the couch, reaching for the old, leather-bound philosophy book on the coffee table. 

All her troubles disappeared with the turn of a page. She let herself become immersed in the text until she was completely lost within it. Nothing in the real world mattered at that point. 

Carmilla was so engulfed in her reading that she barely noticed the faint ringing of her cell phone. With a sigh, she rolled off the couch and shuffled to the doorway where she had discarded her bag earlier. She fished through the pockets, fumbling around for her phone, until she finally found the annoying thing. 

Incoming Call: Cupcake. 

"Oh great," Carmilla mumbled to herself. Laura was probably calling about something wedding-related, which was the last thing Carmilla wanted on her mind right now. She briefly considered letting it ring and dealing with it later, but she knew that if she didn't pick up, she'd receive a stream of texts from Laura anyway. 

Carmilla swiped her finger across the screen and held it up to her ear. 

"Hey, Cupcake," she said, trying her hardest not to show her irritation in her voice. "What's up?" 

"Carm," Laura choked. Her voice sounded as if she'd been crying. 

Oh no. That was never a good sign.

"Uh... are you alright?" Carmilla immediately regretted saying that. What a stupid question. Obviously Laura wasn't okay.

She heard a sniffle from the other end of the phone. Finally, Laura spoke.

"Danny and I broke up," she replied, sniffling again. 

Carmilla was shocked. That was not at all what she was expecting to hear when she reluctantly picked up the phone. She tried to think of something to say, but no words came out. What was she supposed to say in this situation? 

"What happened?" She finally blurted out. She hoped she wasn't being too nosy, but the way Laura's voice sounded heavy with tears over the phone made her heart ache. Laura didn't deserve this sadness, and the thought of her hurting made a Carmilla want to cry too.

"We just... Danny came over and we had a huge fight, and we... ended things." Laura sounded so broken.

Carmilla swallowed. "I'm so sorry, creampuff. Do you need anything?" 

"Well, I was kind of thinking," Laura began. "Nevermind, it's kind of stupid."

 

"Hey, don't worry about it. Whatever you need."

"I... I don't want to be alone right now," Laura whispered. She sounded even smaller than usual. "I know it's really dumb but you've always been there for me after all my other breakups, and I guess it was just kind of my first instinct to call you. I haven't even told my dad yet, and—" 

"Laura, shh. Hey. It's okay, I'll be right over. Why don't you call your dad and I'll get there as soon as I can, alright?" 

Laura took a shaky breath. "Thanks Carm, you're the best."

"See you soon, okay?" 

"Okay." 

Carmilla waited for Laura to hang up, then sprung to her feet, quickly gathering her car keys and her bag. She had done this enough times to know exactly how to cheer Laura up after a breakup: her favorite TV shows, a mug of hot cocoa (with extra marshmallows), and a hell of a lot of junk food. The DVDs would no doubt be waiting at Laura's, but Carmilla decided to make a quick stop at the convenience store to ensure they had enough snacks for whatever show they decided to marathon that night. 

As she pulled into the parking lot of the store, Carmilla realized just how ridiculous she looked: baggy sweatpants, no bra, and her hair in a messy bun. She was too focused on Laura that she had sprung into action mode and didn't even bother to change back into regular clothes. Not that it mattered, considering she was only going to visit Laura, who had frequently seen Carmilla at her absolute worst.

She quickly searched the aisles for Laura's favorite brand of chocolate chip cookies and a can of hot cocoa mix, then grabbed a few packages of sugary snack cakes and a six pack of grape soda for good measure. After paying the cashier, Carmilla dashed out to her car and began the drive to Laura's place.

Soon after, she was standing at the door to the apartment, holding several grocery bags. The door opened and there stood a disheveled, red-eyed Laura. She wasn’t crying, but Carmilla could tell from the tear stains on her cheeks that she had been an inconsolable mess just moments before. However, her expression brightened significantly when she saw Carmilla. 

"Hey," Carmilla said hesitantly.

Laura launched herself into Carmilla's, wrapping her arms tightly around Carmilla's waist. Carmilla was startled by the sudden movement, but soon returned the embrace after dropping the bags at her feet. She wound her arms tightly around Laura, running her hands up and down her back. 

"Carm," Laura whispered, her voice shaky.

"Shh, I know," Carmilla reassured.

Quiet sobs shook through Laura's body as Carmilla pulled her closer. She was overwhelmed by the feeling of Laura pressing against her tighter and filling the space between them. Laura's head was tucked against Carmilla's shoulder, and Carmilla moved her hand upward to run her fingers through Laura's honey-colored hair, breathing in the the familiar scent of her shampoo. 

After a few moments, Laura loosened her grip and stepped back to look at Carmilla, her arms still gripping Carmilla's shoulders. 

"Thanks," she said shyly, wiping the tears from her face and attempting to fix her messy hair.

"It's no problem, really. Um, I brought some snacks," Carmilla said, and gestured to the bags she had dropped. She bent over to collect the smacks that had tumbled out of the them when they hit the floor. "I figured we could watch some Buffy or something. Just like old times.” 

Laura let out a small giggle, and the sound made Carmilla's heart flutter. "I thought you hated Buffy," she said.

"I never said that! I just said that I find it horribly inaccurate. I mean, think about it—"

"How would you know what is and isn't accurate about Buffy? You're not a vampire!" Laura teased. "Then again, I wouldn't be surprised. You're deathly pale, practically nocturnal, and you have the wisdom of someone who has been alive for 300 years!" She tapped Carmilla's forehead with one finger as she said that last part, despite Carmilla's attempt to dodge her. "And you are oddly flirty..."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Carmilla pretended to be offended. Really she was just relieved that Laura was starting to act like her normal self. Oh, how she missed this lighthearted banter. It had been far too long since they had been able to laugh like this.

Laura went over to the DVD player to set up the first episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer as Carmilla slowly unpacked the bag of snacks and laid the boxes down on the coffee table. Laura let out a small squeal when she saw all the snacks Carmilla had brought. She quickly snatched a can of soda and flopped onto the couch. 

"I haven't had Bad Wolf in weeks!" She said, opening the can and taking a sip. 

"That's surprising. You used to chug at least 3 cans a day when we were in high school. Who are you and what have you done to Laura Hollis?" Carmilla joked.

"Yeah, well, you know how Danny can be a total health nut! We've been trying to cut out soda and stuff before the..." She trailed off, leaving an awkward silence hanging between them. 

Carmilla froze, unsure of what to say or do. For a brief moment, she expected Laura to start crying again, but instead, she shrugged and took another large gulp. 

"God, that's some good stuff. Alright, ready to start the episode?" She gave Carmilla her famous grins, one that was eager with a hint of mischievousness. 

Oh, how she missed seeing that smile. "Yeah. Let's go."

Laura reached over the armrest and pulled out a blanket from beside the sofa and laid it on both of their laps. She then scooched closed to Carmilla as the opening scene began, so close that their sides were pressed snugly together. Carmilla could feel warmth radiating off of Laura. It surrounded her, making her feel safe. Soon, the only noise in the apartment was the sound from the television.

These were the moments Carmilla lived for. She was a quiet person by nature; Laura, on the other hand, was a hurricane of energy. Even when she wasn't talking, she was loud. But in rare occasions like this, the silence would take over. It was always a comfortable silence, never anything unwanted or unnatural. Carmilla loved the way time appeared to slow down in these moments, and how nothing seemed to matter except the two of them. 

She hadn't felt this way in months. Sure, the time she had spent trying to distance herself from Laura and Danny was quiet, but it wasn't this kind of quiet. No, it was the kind of quiet that wasn't quiet at all. It engulfed her, choked her. It felt like static from a radio tuned to the wrong station. 

Now, leaning against the couch cushions with an arm wrapped around Laura's waist and Laura's head resting on Carmilla's shoulder, the static gave way to that comfortable silence again. Carmilla was finally able to relax, focusing on the gentle rise and fall of Laura's breathing as they nestled closer. 

Halfway through their fourth episode, Carmilla yawned. "It's getting late.. I guess I should get going soon," she whispered. She began to shift her position on the sofa, but Laura curled further into her, gripping her shirt. 

Carmilla couldn't help but smile at how adorable Laura was in that moment, with the way her messy hair fell around her face and her big brown eyes seemed to sparkle even in the dark. 

"You can stay if you want," Laura mumbled sleepily. 

Carmilla sat pensively for a moment. Laura did have a point; it was Friday, so Carmilla wouldn't have to get up early to go to work. Plus, it would be safer to stay the night with Laura than to drive home while she was clearly tired. 

"Alright," Carmilla replied. 

"Yay," Laura whispered, as she pulled the blanket up higher. Within moments, she was fast asleep, her head tucked under Carmilla's chin. “Goodnight, Carmilla.”

"Good night, cupcake," Carmilla whispered, and allowed Laura's soft breaths to lull her to sleep. 

***

Carmilla awoke the next morning to bright light streaming into the room, which was odd, considering she always slept with her curtains drawn. It was only after she tried to roll over that she realized she wasn’t in her own bed, nor was she in her own apartment. She was on a couch—Laura’s couch, in fact. Suddenly, the events of the previous night came back to her. She scanned the room, taking in her surroundings. Food wrappers and empty soda cans surrounded the space around the sofa. Bright light was streaming in through the window. Laura was nowhere to be found, but her voice could be heard from the other room. She sounded annoyed. Carmilla tried to make out what she was saying, but she had no luck with that.

Carmilla stood up and stretched, then shuffled over to the kitchen. She laughed when she noticed that Laura had left a clean bowl and spoon on the table along with a box of Chokoa Crunch. After all these years, it was still Laura's favorite cereal. 

That was when Carmilla noticed something strange. The bright yellow letters that seemed to pop out against the box’s deep purple background said Choco Crunch. She could have sworn the label used to say Chokoa Crunch when they were kids. Strange...

She shrugged and poured some cereal into the bowl. Now all she had to do was find some milk. Carmilla opened the fridge and began searching the shelves. All she could find was a carton of Soy Tasty. Carmilla knew for a fact that Laura wasn't a fan of soy milk. The last time Carmilla saw Laura try soy milk, she scrunched up her nose as if she had been handed a glass of blood.

Carmilla poured some soy milk onto her cereal, then sat down and shoveled a large spoonful into her mouth. The taste instantly brought on a wave of nostalgia, and Carmilla began to reminisce over the times she had slept over Laura's house when they were kids. Despite staying up until the sun began to rise, they would always wake up before Laura's dad. They used to spend the morning watching cartoons, each with a bowl of cereal, trying not to wake Mr. Hollis. 

Finally, Laura returned from her bedroom. She was already dressed, and even though she appeared disgruntled, Carmilla could tell that she was feeling less miserable than last night.

Laura ran a hand through her hair, then noticed Carmilla sitting at the table. "You're finally up," she said, teasingly. 

"Yep. Thanks for the cereal," Carmilla said with her mouth full.

Laura gave her a look that was half-grossed out and half-amused. "No problem," Laura said, then took a seat across from Carmilla. She slumped forward and caught her head in her hands, muttering something to herself. 

"So,” Carmilla swallowed. "You seem cheerful."

Laura grunted. 

"Wanna talk about it?" 

"I've been on the phone all morning. First my dad called to check in and see if there was anything I needed. But I'm all set, since you're here" she said with a small smile that lasted barely a second. "He offered to break the news to the family. I mean, it was supposed to be a small ceremony so there aren’t many people to tell, but still. Then Danny called." Laura rolled her eyes as she mentioned her ex's name. 

"Wait. Danny dumped you and now she wants you back?" Carmilla gave Laura a confused look.

Laura shook her head. "I was the one who ended things." 

Carmilla was shocked. The two had seemed so happy together, especially Laura. "Wow, cupcake. Not that it's any of my business, but why?" 

“I just... I couldn’t see myself being with her forever. The more I thought about marrying her, the more it made me feel like I was suffocating. She’s protective of me, and I know she does it because she loves me, but... she’s exactly like my dad. I don’t want to marry my dad, Carm. And I mean, we’ve been together for so long and we’ve changed so much. I’m not the same girl I was in university, and neither is Danny. We were supposed to grow together, but after all these years, I just felt like we were growing apart.” Laura looked away, wistfully gazing out the window. “Anyway, we talked, more rationally this time, and we seem to have reached an understanding.”

“I’m sorry you’re in this mess, cutie.” Carmilla assured her. 

“It’s really strange; now that it’s all said and done, I know I did the right thing. It still hurts, but at the same time I feel relieved.” Laura’s facial expression suddenly changed. “And then my dad called again, and we realized something.” 

“And what was that?” Carmilla was instantly curious. 

“The honeymoon. Dad booked the trip for us, so he called the cruise company to see if he could cancel it. But according to their refund policy, we’d only be refunded about half of the price, and it really wouldn’t be worth it to waste all that money.”

“Okay, then why don’t you go with your dad? That might be nice,” Carmilla suggested.

“Actually,” Laura’s eyes glinted with a hint of mischief. “I was wondering if you’d want to come with me.” 

“I don’t know, cupcake...”

“Oh, come on! It’ll be fun. When was the last time you had a vacation?”

Carmilla thought back to her last family vacation with her mother, Mattie, and Will. They had gone to Austria last year, and it was not at all relaxing. If anything, it made her even more stressed out. 

The thought of a luxurious vacation on a cruise ship was becoming more and more enticing. 

However, Carmilla was still apprehensive. “Are you sure?”

“Yeah I’m sure! You’re my best friend, I don’t know anyone who I’d want to travel with more. Pleeease?”

Carmilla had never been one for impulsive decisions, but if she had learned anything over the course of the past day, it was that nothing was ever written in stone. Maybe it was time for her to take a chance for once in her life. Besides, Laura’s adorable puppy-dog eyes and big pouty lips were just too much for Carmilla to handle.

“Okay, creampuff, I’ll go.”

“Awesome!” Laura nearly jumped over the entire table to capture Carmilla in a tight hug. “This is gonna be so much fun, I promise!”

She released Carmilla from her grip and leaped to her feet. “Okay, so the trip leaves the day after the wedding—or what would have been the wedding. The port is about a two hour drive from here so we’ll have to meet at my place at about 8am on that day and then my dad can drive us there.” Laura then went on and on about how to prepare for the trip and what to pack.

By the time she got to her spiel on the importance of sunscreen, especially where they were going, Carmilla had zoned out completely. She was too busy thinking about what a crazy idea this was. Not even twenty-four hours ago, Laura had been engaged to someone else, and now she was asking Carmilla to essentially replace her ex-fiancee as her companion to the trip that would have been her honeymoon? And added to the fact that Carmilla had been in love with Laura practically all her life? This was such a messed up situation. What could possibly go wrong?


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I heard you ship hollstein so I put hollstein on a ship so you can ship hollstein while hollstein is on a ship.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's chapter two! Thanks for being so patient, my beta and I have both been very busy this week.

"I spy with my little eye..." Laura began.

"Is it a car? I bet it's a car." Carmilla responded, deadpan.

"Well yeah, but you didn't guess what kind of car."

Carmilla groaned and took another sip of her coffee. An entire month had passed since the night Laura had called her, and they were now en route to the port where the cruise ship was awaiting them. Carmilla had spent the previous night in the guest room of Laura’s childhood home—Laura's father, Dan, insisted that he drive them to the ship to make traveling easier. Although Carmilla had a car and was perfectly capable of driving just herself and Laura, she agreed that it would be more convenient to be dropped off than to have to leave her car in a parking lot for a week.

It was certainly weird to be back in the house she spent almost as much time in as her own growing up. Carmilla felt as if she and Laura were little kids again, at one of their many sleepovers. They stayed up late as they normally did, despite knowing Dan would make sure they were up and ready to go by 7:00am. Needless to say, she was exhausted. 

The time was now 9:00am, according to the clock on the car's dashboard, and they were stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic. She now understood why Dan had been so adamant about getting an early start. At first, Carmilla wondered why he was treating their supposed two-hour trip like a day-long journey. But after sitting in a practically stationary car for what was supposed to be the entire length of their drive, she completely understood. The traffic was unbearable It was driving her nuts. 

Laura, on the other hand, didn't seem to be bothered. She was perfectly content playing "I Spy" to pass the time. Carmilla actually didn't mind for the first few rounds, but considering they had barely moved a few meters in the past hour and scenery hadn't changed since then, Laura was running out of things to spy and the game was getting pretty boring. 

"Good thing we hit the road early, eh?" Dan Hollis said from the front seat. "The ship doesn't leave until early evening. You girls still have plenty of time to make it to the port, even with all this traffic." 

"The road better clear up fast, because I have to pee!" Laura replied. 

"Seriously? We already stopped twice," Carmilla raised her brows. "Maybe lay off the hot cocoa until we can find a rest stop." She gently jabbed Laura's shoulder with her elbow. 

"Oh, shush! Anyway, you didn't guess what kind of car I spied! Here's the clue again..."

***

Just like Dan had said, they reached the port with plenty of time to spare, even with two bathroom breaks and a stop for lunch. 

Carmilla's eyes widened when the ship had first come into view. She marveled at the way it towered above everything in her field of vision. Even from a distance, she could see the rows and rows of windows and the line of bright yellow lifeboats on the side of the ship. She had never seen anything like it. 

When she looked to her right, she found that Laura had already hopped out of the car and was beginning to help her father remove their luggage from the trunk, so she followed and tugged her own heavy suitcase out of the back of the car and onto the pavement. She joined Laura and Dan, who were standing side by side waiting for her.

"Alright, Ladies. Do you have your boarding passes? And your passports?" Dan gave them his signature dad stare, a combination of sternness and protectiveness.

"Yep!" Laura said cheerfully, pulling the documents out of her pocket. Carmilla did the same. 

"Okay then, have a great trip! And remember, safety first. Don't lean too far over the balcony, and make sure you know how to get to your lifeboat at all times, and don't talk to strangers. Keep your door locked at all times and don't leave any of your valuables lying around. And remember, if you go swimming in the ocean, don't touch any coral! It could be poisonous. Also, wait 30 minutes after eating. On a related note, don't forget to wash your hands or use hand sanitizer before you eat to prevent the spread of germs, cruise passengers are prone to contracting norovirus! And one more thing—"

"Dad, don't worry! We're adults, we're gonna be fine. It's not like it's the Titanic," Laura whined.

"I know, but you're my daughter, it's my job to worry about you. And heck, I've known Carmilla for so long, she's practically one of my own too! I won't be able to contact you when you're out in the middle of the ocean."

"We're going on vacation, not shipping off to war," Laura rolled her eyes. "And no, you can't bring bear spray on the ship. I checked the list of restricted items." Laura pulled out her phone and handed it to her father. "See? Flammable items are prohibited. Bear spray is flammable."

"Oh! Speaking of flammable, remember to stop drop and roll if you catch fire." Dan then began listing even more fire safety tips, to which Laura rolled her eyes and. 

Carmilla couldn't help but laugh at how hilarious their banter was. She wouldn't put it past Dan to suggest that Laura bring bear spray with her, despite their destination being a series of islands in the middle of the ocean. 

"Okay, fine. Anyway, you two enjoy your trip!" Dan reached forward and wrapped Laura in a tight bear hug.

When he let go, he turned and did the same to Carmilla. "Thanks for being such a good friend to my Laura," he whispered into her ear.

"My pleasure," Carmilla whispered back. 

"Come on, Carm! I wanna get on this ship as soon as possible. We have to check in and go through security and find our room," Laura said impatiently. 

"Relax, cutie. The ship isn't gonna start moving any time soon." Carmilla grabbed her luggage and wheeled it toward where Laura was standing. 

"Bye, girls!" Dan cried as they made their way toward the check-in terminal. 

They both dropped their luggage off to be delivered to their shared cabin, then entered the terminal. After going through an X-Ray machine and having their photos taken, they joined the long line of passengers waiting to check in. Laura began flipping through the pamphlet she had picked up and was excitedly pointing to the features she eagerly wanted to check out. 

"They have an ice cream parlor with a build your own sundae bar!" She exclaimed. "We have to go straight there. And there's a buffet that runs until midnight and room service and—"

"Whoa there, cupcake. Pace yourself. You don't wanna get sick from eating too much and have to miss all the fun," Carmilla chuckled.

"Oh, shush," Laura stuck her tongue out at Carmilla, who started laughing even harder. Soon, Laura was laughing along with her. "Anyway, look at this! They have four swimming pools and six hot tubs. And this pool has a waterslide! It's called the Lophiinator... Oh my god it's shaped like an anglerfish, that's so cool!" 

"Let me see that," Carmilla snatched the pamphlet and itinerary out of Laura's hands. "Ooh, there's a pretty impressive solarium on the lido deck." Carmilla was immediately intrigued by the relaxing idea of lounging on a chair by the pool with one of several books she brought with her. 

Finally, they reached the check-in counter. They handed the employee their documents, who scanned their passports and boarding documents. He began typing away on the computer in front of him, then handed each girl a card. "These are your cruise cards. You'll need them to board the ship, unlock your rooms, and make purchases. Enjoy your trip, and congratulations, ladies!" 

Laura and Carmilla took the cards and exited the line. 

"What did he mean by 'congratulations'?" Carmilla said when the man was out of earshot. 

"I have no idea," Laura replied with a shrug. "Anyway, look at this, there's also an ice skating rink on the ship!" 

Finally, it was time to board. Laura gripped Carmilla's hand and began swinging it back and forth as they walked up the gangway. The action made Carmilla's heart flutter.

"You excited?" She asked Laura.

"Of course! I mean, it's not exactly how I imagined this trip going, but as far as travel companions go, I suppose you're a pretty good one," Laura teased. 

"I should hope so. You're gonna be stuck with me for a whole week, so we'll see if you still feel that way towards the end of the trip," Carmilla said with a smirk. 

They handed the attendant their cards, who directed them to the atrium of the ship. Carmilla couldn't believe her eyes. Her reaction to seeing the exterior of the ship was nothing in comparison to her first glimpse at the interior. The ship was even more magnificent from the inside, and it appeared to simply stretch on and on in a way that was almost dreamlike. As she looked up, she was amazed at the clear glass elevators that seemed to float like soap bubbles. The ship was a grand mess of lights and colors and sounds and smells. It was like its own city. It was... overwhelming.

"Come on, our cabin is on the sixteenth deck. Let's take the elevator!" Laura tugged on Carmilla's hand and led her to one of the elevators. Carmilla was still slightly dazed from the sensory overload that was the atrium, but she followed along. 

Laura pressed the "16" button, and they began their slow ascent up to the sixteenth floor. 

"This is so cool!" Laura exclaimed, looking down at the atrium through the glass elevator. She pointed to the floor with one hand and gestured with the other for Carmilla over to the edge of the elevator. "Look how small those people look from up here." 

Carmilla smiled at Laura's enthusiasm. She was just too adorable.

Finally, the elevator dinged and slowed to a stop. The doors opened and the two girls exited and began the search for their room. 

"According to the map, our room is to the right," Laura said, as she grabbed Carmilla's hand once again and began pulling her down the hallway. 

"No, you're holding the map upside down! Look, we're here," Carmilla argued, pointing to the elevator on the map. "The room is that way," she gestured to the left. 

"Ugh, fine. You're right," Laura said with an eye roll.

They turned around and began walking down the other end of the carpeted hallway, passing identical rows of doors.

"I'm gonna have to get you a leash or something, so you don't run off and get lost," Carmilla whispered jokingly.

"Hey!" Laura gave Carmilla a scandalized look. 

"Oh come on, you were totally a leash child. Don't lie. I saw photos, remember?" Carmilla teased, reminiscing over the time she found an old photograph of a younger Laura tethered to a bright yellow leash. 

"That was one time. My dad wanted to make sure I didn't get lost in the city!"

Carmilla laughed playfully.

"Anyway, we're here. Room 1698." Laura said as she swiped her card through the lock and waited until the light began flashing green. She pulled the door and entered the room, holding it open for Carmilla. 

The suite was nothing like what Carmilla imagined. It was light and airy and had a strangely... romantic feel to it. Needless to say, Dan Hollis had certainly put a lot of money into this trip when he booked it. 

The first thing Carmilla noticed when she entered the main room of the suite was the huge sliding glass door on the other side. It was framed by a flowing white curtain, and lead out to a balcony overlooking the ocean. One side of the room was adorned with a flat screen television, along with a sofa and coffee table facing it. The other side had a doorway that led to the other rooms of the suite.

She turned the corner into the doorway that led to the bedroom, expecting to find Laura, but the girl was nowhere to be found. Instead, the first things she spotted were the deep red rose petals scattered across the huge bed in the center of the room. Then there was the gigantic bottle of what seemed to be ludicrously expensive champagne on the nightstand. The only thing that could have made the room more romantic would be if Careless Whisper began playing in the background. Carmilla crept over to the nightstand to examine the bottle and the envelope that was resting beside it. 

The envelope was embellished with Corvae Cruise Line’s logo, which was, oddly enough, a crow. Carmilla wasn't quite sure why the company hadn't chosen a bird found by water instead, like a swan or a pelican, but she shrugged it off and opened the envelope. Inside was a card that read, “Please enjoy this complimentary champagne on behalf of the crew here at Corvae Cruises. We send our sincerest congratulations on your recent marriage and hope you have a wonderful voyage.” 

Suddenly, everything clicked into place. The “congratulations” from the check-in staff. The rose petals. The fancy champagne.

The trip was booked as a honeymoon. Dan had called the company to tell them that Laura would be bringing a different passenger, but it must have slipped his mind to tell them that this passenger wasn’t Laura’s wife. 

‘Well, this is going to be awkward,’ Carmilla thought to herself, hoping that the card wouldn’t make Laura too upset.

“Hey Carm, check out how huge this bathtub is!” Laura called from the bathroom. Carmilla followed the sound of Laura’s voice until she found her standing in the middle of the ensuite, gesturing to a very large, very elegant white marble bathtub.

“Wow. Hey, have you seen the bedroom yet?” Carmilla led Laura back into the hallway and down to the bedroom. 

Laura gasped. “Ooh, this looks amazing!” 

“Yeah, but do you notice anything?” Carmilla pressed.

“I notice how huge that bed is. I wonder if it’s as comfy as it looks... Only one way to find out,” she mused, then immediately hopped onto the mattress, letting it bounce up and down. “Yup. Pretty comfy!” 

“Yeah, I guess. But aren’t you concerned with anything else?”

“...No?” Laura gave Carmilla a concerned look.

“The rose petals? The bottle of champagne? This note on the nightstand?” Carmilla tossed the envelope at Laura. “Cupcake, the cruise staff thinks we’re married! That’s why that guy congratulated us.”

Laura stopped bouncing for a moment. “Yeah, I mean, this is a honeymoon suite. What else would they be expecting?"

“Certainly not gal pals, that's for sure. I dunno, I figured when you said your dad would make arrangements you meant he’d switch the room for something less... romantic?” 

“No way. This one of the nicest cabins on the whole ship. We may as well enjoy all the luxuries my dad paid for.”

“I guess so. As long as it's not awkward for you. You know, with your whole situation and everything going on.”

Laura opened her mouth as if to say something, but she was cut off by the sound of Suddenly, an alarm blaring throughout the cabin. Carmilla’s eyes widened.

“What the frilly hell is that?” She asked Laura.

“It’s a muster drill. We have to find our lifeboat, and then once we're there the crew will teach us what to do in an emergency." Laura quickly flipped through the pages of her travel guide. "This says it's on the... sixth deck. Let's go!" Laura sprung up from the bed and they quickly left the room with Carmilla following close behind. They entered the hallway and joined the crowds of people traveling down the staircase, attentively listening for instruction from the crew. 

Somewhere along the way, Carmilla felt Laura's hand gently take her own for the second time that day. Carmilla's heart squeezed once again but she quickly attempted to shake the feeling. It was a sensation that was familiar and unfamiliar at the same time. This tendency of Laura's to touch Carmilla wasn't anything new, after all—she was often known to intrude Carmilla's personal space. It was just what best friends did. But Carmilla hadn't experienced this in a long time; Once Danny came along, Laura had a new hand to hold, and while she and Carmilla still shared a special closeness, it wasn't the same as before.

Now, with her hand pressed snugly to Laura's, Carmilla felt like she was on fire. Deep down, part of her knew that Laura was probably doing it because they were in a crowded, unfamiliar place and Laura didn't want them to accidentally get separated. Still, a very small fraction of her believed that there was something else there that was fueling Laura's touchiness, and the contact made Carmilla blush more than ever.

They maintained their steady pace down the stairs until they finally reached the deck on which the lifeboats were held. They stood in silence as they listened for direction from the captain over the intercom and watched crew members demonstrate the proper usage of the life jackets.

Finally, the alarms silenced and they were told that everything was all clear and that the ship would be embarking in approximately 30 minutes. The crowd dispersed and they began walking back toward the staircase.

Laura looked at Carmilla with a mischievous grin. "So," she said, "wanna go explore the rest of this ship?"

"Absolutely," said Carmilla. "What did you have in mind? Let me guess, food?" 

"I am hungry, but I think I want to check out the deck with the pools first. What's it called again?"

"The lido deck. And that sounds enticing," Carmilla raised her eyebrows, remembering the solarium she had seen on the map earlier. "I bet it'd be nice to be up there when the ship starts moving. We'll have a nice view of the city" She began scanning her surroundings for the nearest elevator.

When they finally reached the top deck, they were met with a large crowd of people who seemed to have the same idea. In fact, it appeared as if there was some kind of party going on. The pulsing beat of dance music filled the air, and Carmilla could spy a slew of passengers bobbing along to the rhythm. 

Carmilla was never really one for parties like this, but she admired the environment from the top of the ship. It was now early evening, and while it was still bright out, the sky was beginning to take on a pinkish hue. As Carmilla looked beyond the edge of the ship, she could see the city skyline stretching on and on for miles. On the other side was the even more vast and mysterious ocean that they would be travelling for the next week. And of course, Laura looked more beautiful than ever with the glowing sunset reflecting onto her warm brown eyes and creating a golden halo of light around her hair, which was blowing gently with the breeze. Her cheeks were flushed with pink and from the look on her face, she was completely enthralled by the sight of the seemingly never-ending ocean.

Laura gestured for Carmilla to come closer as she pulled her phone out of her pocket. Carmilla wrapped her arm around Laura’s shoulder and leaned in closer so that she was in frame. “Perfect,” Laura said as she took the photo. “I’m gonna send this to my dad while we still have cell service.”

Carmilla craned her neck to see the photo, admiring the way Laura’s brilliant smile shone brighter than anything in the photo. She was staring straight at the camera, while Carmilla was gazing at Laura with the most disgusting heart eyes she’d ever seen. Ugh, she was so smitten, and she was doing a really bad job of hiding it. 

Suddenly, the deep sound of a horn blared. Carmilla at first thought that it was signaling another drill, but once she heard the group of passengers on the dance floor starting to cheer, she realized her hypothesis has been wrong. Then, as she glanced to the side of the ship, she noticed the city gradually moving—or rather, the ship was moving. It took Carmilla a few seconds to adjust to the change in motion, but she soon gained her bearings.

“Here we go!” Laura cheered.

“Bon voyage, cupcake,” Carmilla smiled at the girl as they watched the skyline get smaller and smaller.

Soon, the twilight sky gave way to a deep violet. They were still too close to the city for the stars to be visible, but the way the city lights twinkled like a distant galaxy was comforting enough for Carmilla. Most of the crowd had died down, presumably heading to dinner or to explore the rest of the ship, but a few valiant party-goers remained on the dance floor. 

“Let’s get closer to the front,” Laura said as she dashed off toward the bow of the ship. Of course, Carmilla followed her like the smitten kitten she was. 

With less of their view obstructed, they were finally able to see even more of the ocean. It was incredible how gracefully the ship seemed to glide across the waves. And they were so high up, Carmilla felt like she was flying. 

“It’s like that scene in Titanic,” Laura giggled. She turned to face forward and stepped closer to the center of the bow. Carmilla gently gripped Laura’s waist as she stood with her arms outstretched, mimicking the scene from the film they had watched many times together in their youth. 

Laura began humming My Heart Will Go On and Carmilla couldn’t help but smile at how much of a dork she was.

Finally, Laura lowered her arms and stepped away from where she was standing. “Where to next?” she asked.

Carmilla smirked. “You thinking what I’m thinking?”

“Food?”

“Food.”

They exited the lido deck side by side as Laura began listing off all the dining options from the pamphlet. 

***

"So," Laura said in between bites of the massive banana split she and Carmilla were sharing, "we'll be at sea all day tomorrow."

"Mm," Carmilla grunted in agreement as she scooped a large spoonful of chocolate ice cream into her mouth. They were seated across from one another in a booth at the ice cream parlor Laura had discovered on the fifth deck. With Laura's sweet tooth, Carmilla predicted that this place would become a regular stop of theirs.

"What kinds of things do you want to do?" Laura asked.

Carmilla swallowed. "I don't really know yet. I thought I'd leave all the planning up to you. It's your trip, after all." She glanced up at Laura, who was shaking her head.

"But I invited you to come! We're traveling together, so it's only fair that you have some say in what we do." 

"I guess," Carmilla shrugged. "By the way, how are you feeling? You know, about all this?" All day, Carmilla had been extremely sensitive to the fact that Laura might still have been upset about the wedding. If Laura had been, though, she was certainly doing a good job hiding it. Still, Carmilla decided that it was time she stopped tiptoeing around the unspoken awkwardness of the events of the past month and actually ask Laura how she felt. 

Laura began swirling her spoon around in the dish as if she was searching for something. "I'm fine," she said quietly. 

"That doesn't sound too convincing... What's wrong?" Carmilla tried her best to maintain a playful tone in her voice, but the way Laura had sounded so dejected when she spoke made it hard for Carmilla to remain cheerful. 

"I just... I keep thinking about how different things turned out than I expected. All this time I had such a clear image of what I wanted. And all of that just crumbled away. I don't even know what I want or how I feel anymore. It's all so confusing. This was supposed to be me and Danny's first real day as a married couple. The first night of our honeymoon... the first night of our forever together. But I have none of that," Laura's shoulders sunk. "And don't get me wrong, you're a fantastic friend and I love traveling with you, I just wish this could have been under better circumstances." 

"Hey. I understand, okay? I wish the circumstances could have been better too, Cupcake," she said, although she was sure that what her definition of "better circumstances" were far different from what Laura was implying. 

Laura finally looked up again, and Carmilla could see a smile appear on her face. It was small but definitely there.

"Look, I know this isn't what you've been looking forward to for all these years, but I promise that we're gonna have fun. Like you said, it'll be an adventure. Okay?" 

"Okay," 

The smile began to stretch across Laura's face, and Carmilla couldn't help but match Laura's expression with a smile of her own. 

Suddenly, Laura's smile became a playful one. "You've got a little something on your face," she said, scooping up a bit of whipped cream from the dish.

Carmilla gave her a skeptical look. "Where?" 

Laura lifted up her spoon and gestured toward Carmilla. "Right... there!" She quickly tapped the spoon against Carmilla's nose and giggled.

Carmilla scrunched up her face. "Ooh, you'll pay for this, Hollis!" She reached for her own spoon and attempted to exact her revenge, but she was too slow, and Laura blocked her before Carmilla even came close to her face. 

"Stop it, you're gonna get us kicked out!" She hissed. 

"You started it!" Carmilla argued.

Laura stuck her tongue out at Carmilla, which caused both of them to laugh. Suddenly, Carmilla felt relieved. Maybe this trip would be a good one after all. 

*** 

Later that night, after washing the rest of the whipped cream from her and Laura's little food fight off of her face, Carmilla exited the bathroom to find Laura already tucked into the bed. Only her head and shoulders were visible from behind the fluffy white duvet. Suddenly, the dilemma over their sleeping arrangements came rushing back to her. With the muster drill interrupting their previous conversation, they never got around to discussing who was supposed to sleep where.

Carmilla cleared her throat. “So, um, I guess tomorrow we can talk to housekeeping about bringing in a second bed or something. But for now I can just take the couch and you can—”

“Are you kidding? This bed is huge! There’s plenty of room for both of us. Plus it’s super soft and bouncy. Come see for yourself,” Laura said, pulling the covers back and patting the space beside her.

“You sure?”

“Duh! I mean, it’s not like it’d be awkward or anything. We used to share beds all the time. And you fell asleep on my couch last month, remember?” 

“Alright, fine. As long as you're okay with it.” Carmilla flopped onto the bed, laying on her back next to Laura. Laura was right; it was the most comfortable bed she had ever been on in her life. It would have been extremely relaxing, if not for the fact that she was now hyperaware of every part of her body. She wasn't entirely sure why; like Laura said, this wasn't the first time they shared a bed. Still, something felt different this time.

Carmilla made herself comfortable, trying to maintain as much distance between her and Laura as possible. She felt the bed dip slightly as Laura reached over to turn off the lamp on the nightstand. Once the room was dark and Laura was settled back into the bed, Carmilla was suddenly aware of how tired she really was. She yawned, then rolled onto her side. 

"'Night, Carm..." Laura mumbled. 

"Sleep tight, cupcake." 

Carmilla soon drifted off to sleep, comforted by the gentle rocking of the ship and Laura's soft breathing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! As always, I appreciate your comments. You can find me on tumblr at [ukulelekatie](http://ukulelekatie.tumblr.com).
> 
> (Note December 2017: Made some small edits to this chapter)


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two gals, chillin' in a hot tub, very close 'cause they're so gay
> 
> a.k.a. The chapter in which Laura and Carmilla explore the ship, meet their future selves, and partake in some shuffleboard shenanigans.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't believe it's been almost 10 months since I've updated this fic! I really wanted to have a consistent updating schedule but writer's block and life got in the way until about a month ago. Thanks for being so patient! Hopefully 9k words is worth the wait for those of you still interested in this AU...

 

Carmilla was coaxed gradually from her dreamlike state. Slowly, she blinked herself awake and gazed up at the unfamiliar ceiling above her. For a brief moment she began to panic, unaware of her surroundings. However, the slow, gentle movement of the ship steadily rocking back and forth reminded her of where she was. With a yawn, she allowed herself to adjust to her environment. Although the room was still mostly dark, small streams of sunlight filtered through the spaces in between the window blinds for her to take in the sight of her surroundings—and with whom she was sharing the bed.

 

She tried to sit up, but there appeared to be something grasping her and constricting her movements. Instead, Carmilla remained lying on her side, where she glanced down and found an arm wrapped softly around her waist. Carefully, she craned her neck around so that she was face to face with a sound-asleep Laura. Her long, honey-colored hair was strewn about in all directions, flowing down her shoulders and across the pillow with few wisps falling into her face. She scrunched up her face into an expression Carmilla found absolutely adorable, then softened almost immediately.

 

Carmilla's cheeks flushed. What was she supposed to do? Sure, cuddling was an innate part of their friendship, and always had been—Laura was practically a koala. But there was something so intimate about spooning. Spooning was something _couples_ did. They were pressed together nearly head to toe, bodies aligned perfectly. Face against hair, chest against back, shins against calves.

 

It was too close. Closer than they had ever been—not that Carmilla was complaining. The feeling was actually quite comfortable, even natural. But at the same time, it was just _wrong._ She shouldn’t be spooning her best friend like this.

 

Doing her best not to disturb the sleeping girl, Carmilla began to consider her options. On one hand, she could stay put and enjoy these quiet moments as Laura slept. Laura was going through a lot and probably needed some quality rest. They were on vacation, after all. On the other hand, she could just free herself from Laura's grip. It was too late to spare _herself_ the embarrassment, but she could still save Laura from waking up in an equally awkward position. It would allow Laura to awake completely oblivious of their sleep-cuddling and for Carmilla to pretend it never happened.

 

Yeah. That sounded like a better option.

 

She attempted to gingerly shimmy out of Laura's grip without waking her, but as soon as she began moving, she felt Laura's slender arm wrap even more firmly around her waist and her face nuzzled against Carmilla's shoulder.

 

Well, _that_ certainly worked out the way she had planned.

 

Soon, Laura began to breathe deeply, sounding almost like gentle waves crashing against a shore. It didn’t take long before Carmilla’s own breathing slowed to match the other girl's steady rhythm.

 

She relaxed into Laura’s touch. It was soothing, albeit a little unfamiliar. In all her previous spooning experiences, she was always the big spoon. And she certainly didn’t expect this tradition to be subverted by Laura. Carmilla had always figured that Laura was more of a little spoon—not that she wasn’t enjoying this big spoon Laura. Carmilla was completely enthralled by the feeling of Laura’s body flush against hers, the warmth of her arms wrapped around her, the way her breath lightly tickled the back of Carmilla’s neck. She could get used to this...

 

She _shouldn’t_ get used to this. It would only make things harder... But that wouldn’t stop her from enjoying the moment while it lasted.

 

Carmilla was on the verge of falling back to sleep when she felt Laura begin to stir. She began untangling herself from her position around Carmilla, who sighed with disappointment. As soon as she was sitting up, Laura stretched her arms above her head and arched her back, letting out the smallest of grunts.

 

Carmilla rolled over so that she was facing Laura. “Morning,” She rasped, trying very hard not to let her eyes linger too long on the exposed bit of Laura’s stomach from where her tank top had ridden up.

 

Laura looked down at her and smiled. “Good morning, sleepyhead. Rest well?”

 

“Amazingly so,” Carmilla replied. “You?”

 

"That was the best night of sleep I've had in a long time," Laura smiled as she ran a hand through her hair. “So, you up for some more adventures today?”

 

“What exactly do you have in mind?”

 

“Well, I was hoping we could grab some breakfast, and maybe spend some time at the pool. I really want to try out that waterslide, and...” Laura trailed off as her eyes caught on the small sliver of sunlight streaming in through the blinds. She pushed the covers off and sprung out of bed, quickly striding over to the large window. She pulled on the blinds, causing Carmilla to flinch at the sudden brightness that filled the room, but it was worth it for the sight she had just revealed.

 

It was like nothing she had seen before.

 

Carmilla slipped out of bed and joined Laura at the window, staring at the seemingly endless sight in front of her. Her eyes were filled with a stunning palette of blues. The deep sapphire ocean stretched on for as far as she could see, meeting up with the cerulean sky in a flat plane at some far off point in the distance.

 

The sight was absolutely mesmerizing, Sure, Carmilla had been to the beach many times in her life, but the murky green water she was used to seeing paled in comparison to what she could see now. She felt like she was seeing the ocean for the first time. She felt almost as if she was on a completely different planet.

 

And there was Laura by her side, with her warm eyes and silky hair. She was a stark contrast of rich browns and golds against the never ending blue, and it made her appear gorgeous as ever.

 

“So beautiful,” Laura mused.

 

“Yeah,” Carmilla sighed. She felt no need to clarify that the thing Laura was calling beautiful was not the same thing Carmilla was calling beautiful.

 

Laura turned to face her, giving her one of her signature mischievous looks. “Wanna order room service? I’m in the mood for pancakes.”

 

“Of course you are,” Carmilla snickered as she stepped away from the window. She took a few steps toward the nightstand and reached for the phone that rested on it next to the bottle of champagne.

 

She could already tell today was going to be a good one.

 

***

 

“Okay Carm, I’m done in the bathroom so it’s all yours now. Oh, and did I leave my shirt in there?” Laura called from the hallway.

 

“Thanks,” Carmilla said, “and yeah it’s in here, on the—”

 

She froze at the sight of Laura entering the main room of the suite. The girl was wearing a bold yellow bikini top and a pair of very tight dark blue swim shorts, the smooth plane of her soft but toned stomach fully exposed. Carmilla’s breath hitched as Laura scooped her golden hair up off her shoulders and began twisting it into a messy bun, then reached for the large t-shirt she had draped over the back of the armchair.

 

‘ _Snap out of it, Karnstein’_ She thought to herself. “Um, I’ll be ready in a few minutes,” she said as she snuck out of the room, trying very hard not to stare at Laura as she left.

 

Carmilla changed into her own swimsuit, a simple black two-piece, and wondered how the hell she was going to survive the day, let alone the following _two weeks._ This girl was going to put her into an early grave. She quickly pulled a pair of shorts and a grey tank top over her swimsuit, placed her sunglasses on top of her head, and slipped into her sandals.

 

“Did you remember to pack sunscreen?” Laura asked once Carmilla was back in the living room.

 

“Yep.”

 

“Good, because I’m not going to put up with you whining about being sunburnt this whole trip. I know how sensitive you are to sunlight, you’re practically a vampire,” she jabbed.

 

“Haha,” Carmilla laughed dryly. “You’re gonna need sunscreen too, cupcake, or else we’re both going to get a lecture on the dangers of UV exposure from your dad.”

 

“Oh god,” Laura groaned. “It’s bad enough that he insisted I pack _five_ containers of SPF 150. Come on, let’s go!”

 

***

 

Even though it was still relatively early in the day, the main pool deck was considerably crowded. Carmilla’s vision filled with bright hues and large congregations of people accompanied by the loud booming beat of a dance track. This part of the ship definitely wasn’t Carmilla’s preferred scene, but as long as this was where Laura wanted to be, she would be willing to tough it out.

 

But it didn’t look like that was going to be the case anyway. There were no lounge chairs available as far as Carmilla could see.

 

“Damn, I don’t think we’ll be able to get a spot here,” she said, craning her neck to try and find any possible empty seats.

 

“Yeah, that’s a bummer,” Laura sighed. “I really wanted to try out The Lophiinator.”

 

“This place is probably so popular because it’s the first day of the trip. The crowd will die down soon enough. Maybe we can come back on one of the port days,” Carmilla suggested.

 

“Yeah, you’re right,” Laura said. “That doesn’t solve my problem of wanting to go swimming though,”

 

“There’s more than one pool on this ship, you know,” Carmilla smirked. “And, if memory serves me correctly, there just so happens to be one in that solarium over there. It’s probably way less crowded.”  

 

Laura perked up at that. “Race you!” She said with a giggle, then took off.

 

She was only able to travel a few feet before a lifeguard blew his whistle and shouted “No running!”

 

***

 

“Well, well, well, looks like you were right all along. This pool _is_ less crowded. Excellent deductive skills, Watson,” Laura joked.

 

“Alright _Sherlock Holmes_ , let’s go claim a spot,” Carmilla replied.

 

Just as they were about to enter the area, a crew member stopped them. “Excuse me, ladies, but this pool is for Premium Travellers only,” she said. “I’m going to need to see your keycards as proof of membership.”

 

Carmilla stifled a groan. She didn’t remember the pamphlet saying anything about the solarium being an exclusive members-only area. Looks like she and Laura were going to have to go back to the other pool with the rest of the boisterous common passengers. Peasants.

 

“Oh! No problem,” Laura said, fishing through her pockets for her card. Carmilla gave her a look of confusion.

 

The crew member gave the card a cursory glance, then looked up and smiled at the Laura. “Alright, thank you ma’am. I hope you two are enjoying your honeymoon.”  

 

Once inside, Carmilla leaned in closer to Laura and whispered “What the hell was that all about?”

 

“It’s included in the honeymoon package—you get exclusive access to the Premium Traveller spaces like this one. See that little symbol?” She said, pointing to a small crest featuring Corvae Cruise Line logo inside a heart at the top right corner of the card.

 

“Huh,” Carmilla mused. “I guess being fake-married to you isn’t so bad, then.”

 

“Oh shush.” Laura nudged Carmilla’s arm with her elbow. “Why don’t you go claim some chairs and I’ll go get us some drinks?” She said, then scampered off in the direction of the bar.

 

Carmilla playfully rolled her eyes and began scanning her surroundings for the perfect spot on the solarium. It really was a beautiful place; an elaborate tile mosaic decorated the floor, and the walls surrounding her were nothing but tall glass windows allowing a perfect view of the ocean. The open ceiling provided warmth and brightness from the sun. At the center of the solarium was a large, glistening swimming pool with luxurious lounge chairs around its perimeter, and past that was a bubbling hot tub. The best part? It was practically empty save for a handful of people scattered around here and there. And it was _quiet._

 

 _‘Now this,’_ she thought. ‘ _This is perfect.’_

 

She selected two chairs to the left of the pool, dropped her bag on one and herself on the other, and pushed her sunglasses back up to the top of her head. As she lounged languidly by the pool, she reached over to the adjacent chair to grab her book out of her bag and began reading. But before long, her eyes wandered away from the pages and landed on where Laura was standing in line at the bar. Carmilla smiled at the way she was animatedly talking to a woman in front of her in line, her hands in rapid movement as per usual.

 

She was so caught up in watching the girl that she barely heard the voice coming from behind her chair.

 

“Huh?” Carmilla interjected, her head perking up and turning toward the source of the voice.

 

She was met with the sight of an older woman clad in a one piece bathing suit and a sarong smiling gently at her. “I said your girlfriend looks lovely.”

 

At first, Carmilla was taken aback by the use of the word “girlfriend,” but she shrugged it off, assuming she must be using the term in a platonic sense the way most annoying middle aged women do. In a “gal pal” sort of way.

 

That is, until the woman added, “You two make a cute couple.”

 

“Oh, um, she’s not my—I mean, I—” Carmilla spluttered.

 

“You just look so happy and at ease together. And the way you were staring at her just now. Reminds me of the way my Harry always looks at me. That’s a look of love if I’ve ever seen one.” 

 

Carmilla sighed. “You got me there.” She was trying very hard not to appear annoyed at this woman, but she really did not feel like explaining the puzzling trainwreck of her relationship with Laura, nor did she feel like listening to this woman sharing anecdotes about this Harold guy. All she really wanted was to enjoy some time by the pool without being bothered, but it looked as though the universe had other plans for her, regardless of which pool she visited that day. “Look, it’s kind of complicated. We’re friends but she—”

 

“When we met, we were around your age,” the woman continued, interrupting Carmilla for the second time. 

 

“That’s nice.” Carmilla nodded curtly. She lifted her book up from her lap and tried to pick up from where she left off, but the woman just kept on talking.

 

“I’m Barb, by the way. Harry and I are celebrating our 20th anniversary on this trip.” The woman continued. “Oh, here she comes now!”

 

 _She?_ Well, that was unexpected. Carmilla looked past Barb to see another woman approaching the two of them, followed by none other than Laura.

 

“Carm! This is Harriet, we just met at the bar,” Laura exclaimed.

 

“Please, call me Harry.” The other woman added, wrapping her arm around the other woman. “Oh, I see you’ve met my wife, Barb.”

 

“Uh, yeah. Nice to meet you two,” Carmilla forced a smile. “Barb, this is Laura. Laura, this is Barb.”

 

Laura reached over to shake Barb’s hand. “So, Harry told me you two are here celebrating an anniversary?”

 

“Yes ma’am,” Barb said. “We’ve been married for 20 years.”

 

“That’s wonderful! I hope to have a happy, long-lasting marriage like yours,” Laura replied with a smile.

 

“I’m sure you will, darling. Well it was a pleasure to meet you. Harry and I will leave you two alone now, you probably don’t want to spend your vacation with a pair of old ladies like us,” Barb said.

 

Carmilla smiled. _Finally_.

 

“We’ll probably see you around!” Laura said back.

 

“Oh, and one more thing. There’s going to be a Friends of Dorothy meeting in the Armitage Lounge on the 5th deck tomorrow night. We’d love to see you there!” Harry added.

 

“Cool, thanks!” Laura said, and she waved as the two women waddled back over to the hot tub.

 

“Hey Carm,” She whispered. “What’s ‘Friends of Dorothy’?”

 

Carmilla snickered. “It’s where queer people go to hang out and meet each other,” she whispered back.

 

“Oh. We should go, that might be fun!” Laura exclaimed. “Wait, how did they know we were...”

 

“No idea. I didn’t say anything, did you?” Carmilla asked.

 

“No,” Laura replied. “I guess Harry just kind of knew.”

 

“So did Barb. She thought we were together.”

 

Laura’s eyes widened. “Are we really _that_ close that people assume we’re together?”

 

“Uh, probably not. Maybe they just overheard you talking to that crew member about this being a honeymoon,” Carmilla suggested, though she knew better than her own words. Laura probably never realized it, but Barb was right—they really did look like a couple. One could see it in the way they were constantly holding hands and giggling at each other, and, according to Barb, the way Carmilla looked at Laura.

 

“Yeah, you’re probably right,” Laura shrugged. “Anyway, here are our drinks!” She handed Carmilla a fancy-looking glass decorated with a twisty straw and a tiny paper umbrella. “This one’s called a ‘Yo Ho Ho and a Bottle of Rum.’ I don’t know what’s in it other than rum but the name was funny and it looks good!”

 

“Thanks, cupcake.” Carmilla said. She accepted the drink from Laura and brought the intricate straw up to her lips, taking a sip. “Mmm, whatever this is, it’s good,” she said. “Oh, and I saved this seat for you.”

 

“Great!” She placed her drink on the small table beside their chairs, then removed the baggy white t-shirt, once again revealing the very bright, very yellow bikini top. “Do you mind if I take the sunscreen from your bag?”

 

Carmilla gulped. “Yeah, go ahead.”

 

“Thanks,” Laura said. She bent over to reach the drawstring bag Carmilla had placed on the chair, giving her a close-up view of Laura’s tight shorts.

 

Carmilla cleared her throat, forcing herself to look away. Once again, she picked up her book from where it was resting on her lap, found her place in the pages, and attempted to distract herself.

 

It didn’t last for long, though. “Hey Carm?” Laura asked.

 

“Yeah?” Carmilla answered without looking up from her book.

 

“Can you help me? I’m having trouble getting my shoulders and back,” she said.

 

“Sure, just a sec,” Carmilla said, closing her book. She rose to her feet and closed the distance between herself and Laura.

 

Laura held the bottle of sunscreen out in front of Carmilla for her to take. Carmilla removed the cap and squeezed a small amount of sunscreen onto her hands. She massaged the lotion around Laura’s shoulders and the smooth plane of her upper back. It was taking all of her effort to not think about how easy it would be to reach over and place a kiss on the back of Laura’s neck or to snake her hands around Laura’s waist and hold her tight against her until she forgot the rest of the world around her...

 

Laura let out the smallest of moans as Carmilla moved her hands slightly downward and began rubbing the sunscreen into Laura’s back. Carmilla pretended not to notice but the sound echoed through her ears and wouldn’t leave her thoughts.

 

“Okay, you’re all done,” she managed to choke out.

 

Laura turned around “Thanks! I can do you if you want.” Her eyes widened as she realized the second possible interpretation of her words. “I mean— I... you know!”

 

Carmilla let out a chuckle. It was nice to see Laura being the flustered one for a change. “Trust me, I know. And I would really appreciate that,” she crooned, stripping down to her swimsuit.

 

She turned to face the other direction and let Laura get to work on her shoulders. The warmth of Laura’s hands on her skin sent tingles down her spine, and she indulged herself in the sensation.

 

“This reminds me,” Carmilla said, “I heard there’s a place on this ship where you can get massages. Is that something you’d be interested in doing while we’re here?”

 

“That would be nice. I definitely need to work through all the tension I’ve built up in my neck from recent stress,” Laura replied. But then Carmilla noticed a subtle change in her tone. “You know, I you never struck me as the kind of person who enjoys massages. I know how you like your personal space... and you’re also pretty ticklish!”

 

With that, she swiftly moved her hands down to Carmilla’s hips and around to her abdomen. Carmilla yelped in surprise as fingers brushed against the sensitive skin around her belly button.

 

“Stop that!” she managed to cry out between giggles.

 

“Never!” Laura said playfully as Carmilla attempted to wriggle herself free.

 

Thankfully for Carmilla, the tickling didn’t last longer than a few seconds more as the lifeguard on duty blew their whistle and simply reprimanded the two for roughhousing near the pool.  

 

“That’s the second time you’ve been yelled at by a lifeguard today, sundance. Maybe I should keep track of how many times you get in trouble for the next two weeks. I have a feeling it’ll be fun,” Carmilla teased.

 

“Shush,” Laura hissed. “Anyway, I’m going in the water.”

 

She scampered over to the steps of the empty pool and descended the first stair. But just as she was about to take the second step, she turned back around. “What are you waiting for?”

 

“Mmm, I don’t know...” Carmilla looked away for a moment. “I’m not really in the mood for swimming. I think I’m just gonna stay out here and enjoy my drink, read my book, enjoy the view.”

 

“Oh, come on! I can’t believe you’re afraid of water. You really are like a cat.”

 

“I’m _not_ afraid of water. And I like swimming! You’ve seen me swim before. I just don’t particularly feel like swimming _right now_. Besides, it’s too cold.”

 

“Ah, but that’s where you’re wrong. If you had really read the ship guide, you would know that all the pools on board are _heated.”_ With one graceful movement, Laura stepped from the last stair to the tile floor of the pool. “It’s sooo nice! So warm and soothing,” She said, leaping weightlessly through the waist-deep water toward the deeper end of the pool.

 

Carmilla couldn’t help but smile. Seeing Laura so carefree and happy warmed her heart. It was a welcome change from the red puffy eyes she had gazed into not so long ago.

 

She sighed. “Well, when you put it that way... it wouldn’t hurt to at least dip my feet in.” Slowly, she walked toward the pool, sat down on the tile, and inched her way to the edge. Once there, she carefully swung her legs over the edge and into the water.

 

Laura was right; the water _was_ warm and soothing. She wiggled her toes, admiring the feel of it rushing through the spaces in between and the lapping of tiny waves at her shins.

 

“That’s more like it! See? It’s so nice! Wait until we actually reach our port locations, the ocean water down here is nothing like the chilly beaches back home. It’s practically bath water.”

 

Laura had now reached the area of the pool where the floor began to slope downward. She had made it far enough that the water level was now up to her neck. Carmilla could see that she was standing on her tiptoes, struggling to keep contact with the floor but just barely holding on.

 

“Wow, creampuff. I can’t believe you can’t even stand in the shallow end,” she joked.

 

“Shut up! This isn’t even the shallow end anymore. And you’re only an inch taller than me; if you were in here you’d be on your toes too.”

 

Carmilla stuck her tongue out at Laura, then both girls erupted into a fit of giggles.

 

After a moment, Laura floated over to where Carmilla was perched. “Hey Carm, I have to tell you something.” Her expression darkened.

 

“You know you can tell me anything,” Carmilla assured her, although the suspense of what Laura was about to say to her was eating away at her. She tried not to let it show.

 

Laura’s big brown eyes looked up at Carmilla. They remained that way for a brief moment.

 

Then, the next thing she knew, Laura playfully swiped her hand through the water and sent a small splash of water flying toward Carmilla.

 

“Gotcha!” An impish grin appeared on Laura’s face.

 

She should have expected that. “You little—” She brought her hand down into the water in an attempt to splash Laura back, but the girl had already swum away.

 

Without even thinking, Carmilla had slid down into the water and was barreling toward Laura. She had just about caught up to her when she heard the piercing blow of a whistle.

 

“NO ROUGHHOUSING!” The lifeguard shouted.

 

Carmilla paused, mortified.

 

“Hey,” Laura said tentatively.

 

“Hey,” Carmilla said back.

 

“Looks like I’m not the only one who’s gotten in trouble now,” Laura snickered.

 

“What? You started it!” Carmilla defended.

 

Laura drifted closer to her. “I wonder how many more warnings we can get before they make us walk the plank,” she said with a grin.

 

“I don’t think want to find out,” Carmilla knew that if she could see her own face, her grin would be as big as Laura’s

 

“Sorry for splashing you,” Laura whispered, slightly embarrassed.

 

“Hey, it’s okay. And now that I’m in the water, we may as well have a good time. But no splashing.”

 

“Deal.”

 

And so the two of them paddled around the pool for a bit, chatting about pretty much nothing at all and yet never running out of conversation. Carmilla was always in awe of how at ease she felt whenever she and Laura talked. They were masters at the art of playing off each other’s snide banter and experts at sharing secrets and stories no one else in their lives had ever heard before. It had always been that way, ever since they met as children. Carmilla was never one for small talk. She considered it a waste of time, preferring to keep to herself rather than exchanging a frivolous ‘ _How are you’_ or an _‘I like your shoes’_ here and there.

 

Which was why she clicked so well with Laura. The moment they first spoke, it was clear that small talk wasn’t Laura’s style either—but rather than avoid conversation like Carmilla usually did, the girl embraced it head on. She jumped straight past the useless polite exchanges and began rambling about this and that and the other thing until Carmilla forgot she had just met her. After a single conversation, Carmilla had felt like she had known Laura her entire life.

 

She hoped to hear Laura for the rest of her life, to have her fill her silence with a constant ebb and flow of words as vast as the ocean that surrounded them.

 

“Well, I’m getting out now. My fingers are starting to get pruny,” Laura said, holding her fingers out in front of her face.

 

“Yeah, I think it’s about time for me to get out and dry off too. Unless...” Carmilla smirked.

 

“What?”

 

“Wanna try out the hot tub for a bit?”

 

Laura’s face lit up. “I like the way you think, Karnstein!”

 

They trudged through the shallow end of the pool until they reached the edge, then ascended the steps onto the deck.  

 

But as soon as the hot tub came into view, Carmilla felt immediate regret. Sitting on one side of the bubbling tub was Barb and Harry.

 

 _‘Oh great, these two again.’_ She thought to herself, trying to mask her annoyance with a somewhat friendly smile as Barb waved to the girls.

 

Laura, on the other hand, seemed excited to run into the couple again. “Mind if we join you?” She called out to them.

 

“Not at all! The more the merrier,” Harry replied.

 

Laura stepped into the hot tub and reached her hand out to Carmilla to take, helping guide her into the water. Carmilla sat herself next to Laura, as close as possible.

 

“Did you ladies enjoy your swim?” Barb asked. “It looked like you were having quite a bit of fun out there.”

 

“It was great,” Carmilla said curtly.

 

“Yeah, this pool is _so_ nice, you should definitely try it out!” Laura said animatedly. “Carm and I tried going to the main pool earlier today but it was too crowded which was too bad since I really wanted to try out that waterslide. But at least we have access to this area.”

 

Barb nodded. “Being a Corvae Premium Traveller sure does have its perks,” she said. “Harry and I have been on so many cruises with this line that the trips practically pay for themselves at this point thanks to our membership status.”

 

“So you’ve travelled a lot, huh?” Laura asked curiously.

 

“Oh yes, Barb and I are experienced cruisers. We share a love of travelling. Always have,” Harry smiled.

 

“That’s so great! How long have you been together?” Laura leaned in closer, eager to hear the two women share their story.

 

“Well,” Barb said, “we’re here celebrating our 20th anniversary. Of course, we’ve been together for longer, that’s just the anniversary of our marriage. Actually we have _two_ anniversaries, one for our ceremony and one for when we actually _legally_ got married, but that’s another story for another time. As I was saying, Harry and I have known each other since university. We were roommates.”

 

“And we absolutely hated each other at first!” Harry chimed in.

 

“She’s right, we really didn’t get along. I was an early bird, Harry was a night owl. I preferred to keep the room neat, Harry left clothes and empty food containers all over the floor. I preferred quiet get-togethers with a few friends, Harry was a party animal. We were like night and day. But in spite of it all, there was a connection,” Barb gave Harry a loving gaze.

 

“There was one night when I called my mother from a payphone and got into a fight with her. I hung up and stormed into the room expecting some snide remark from Barb. But instead of teasing me or arguing me like we usually did, she talked me through the pain and offered compassion. Turns out she had been in the same position before. I found her actions really admirable, and over time we grew to become friends, and then more than friends. We were inseparable. And now, 20 plus years later, here we are. We’ve gone through a few bumps in the road, but I couldn’t have asked for a better woman to spend my life with.”

 

“Oh, that’s so lovely!” Laura cooed.

 

“So, how did you girls meet?” Barb asked.

 

Laura glanced over at Carmilla, then back at Barb and Harry. “We met when we were very young,” she stated. “In pre-school actually. Carm and I were in the same class and we we’ve been close ever since. Well, almost. When we first met, she pulled my hair and tried to take my toys. And I’m pretty sure one time she bit me when we were fighting over a cookie,” she chuckled.

 

Carmilla glared at her, mortified.

 

“She may not have outgrown her attitude or vampiric tendencies,” Laura said, earning a gentle jab to the shoulder from Carmilla’s elbow, “but she’s my best friend. She’s been there for me when no one else has been, and I’m so happy to be on this trip with her.” She turned to look at Carmilla, her brown eyes sparkling and a bright smile on her face. “Right, Carm?”

 

Carmilla’s heart swelled and all her embarrassment suddenly melted away. “Yeah,” sighed, staring deeply into Laura’s eyes.

 

“How precious,” Harry crooned.

 

“I was telling Carmilla earlier about how much she reminds me of you when you were young,” Barb said. “Looks like I was right.”

 

“And I told Laura the same thing about you. You both have those big round doe-eyes,” Harry replied.

 

Both women nodded in agreement and just like that, the conversation grew silent. Carmilla could see a telltale blush forming on Laura’s face as well as an expression she couldn’t quite place. Maybe she was missing Danny?

 

Laura was the first to break the silence. “So, are you excited about our first port day tomorrow?”

 

“Very much so! Bermuda is one of my favorite places in the world,” Barb answered.

 

“Oh, so you’ve been there before?”

 

“Barb and I have been there many times,” Harry said. “Have you signed up for any of the excursions?”

 

“Nope! Carm and I were just going to explore the island on our own,” Laura said.

 

“Well, if you’re going to do that, definitely be sure to check out the beach! Bermuda is known for its pink sand,” Harry suggested.

 

“Or if the beach isn’t really your style, you should definitely explore the Crystal Caves. It’s truly amazing,” Barb added.

 

“Thanks for the suggestions!” Laura said enthusiastically. “It’s so nice to get travel advice from experienced cruisers.”

 

“You’re welcome. We’ve visited all the islands on the itinerary, so if you want all the ins and outs of each location, you know who to come to,” Harry replied. “Well, I think it’s time for me to get out. Hey Barb, what do you say we go back to the room and get ready for lunch?”

 

“I would love that,” Barb said. She turned to Laura and Carmilla. “It was a pleasure to meet you ladies. We’ll probably run into each other some other time, but if you need us, we’re staying in Cabin 703.”

 

“Awesome, thanks!” Laura replied.

 

“And we were serious about Friends of Dorothy. Hope to see you there!” Harry added as she helped Barb out of the tub.

 

“We’ll try to make it to the meeting,” Laura said. “Enjoy the rest of your day!”

 

Both now wrapped in towels, the two women waved and then headed off in the direction of the chairs where they had left their belongings.

 

Once they were gone, Laura turned to Carmilla. “I can’t believe we made friends already! And they’re lesbians too, what are the chances? So cool!”  

 

“Yeah. So cool,” Carmilla repeated dryly.

 

“Oh come on, they were nice,” Laura said, nudging Carmilla’s shoulder again.

 

“I guess so.” Honestly, she was just glad they were finally alone together.

 

Suddenly, Laura let out a sigh. Carmilla nearly jumped as she leaned into her side, resting her head on Carmilla’s shoulder. “I wish I could have a relationship that. To be with someone for more than twenty years and never grow bored of them. Someone to travel the world with,” she said wistfully.

 

Carmilla brought her hand up to rub Laura’s shoulder. “You will,” she said.

 

“But how can you know that, Carm?” Laura looked up, her eyes meeting Carmilla’s. “None of my relationships ever last. All the girls I’ve been with seem perfect in the beginning but the more we grow, we drift further and further apart until we don’t know each other anymore. I’m tired of leaving people, and I’m tired of people leaving me.” She looked away. “I just want someone who will stay.”

 

Carmilla’s heart felt like it was about to burst with sadness. _I’ll stay,_ she wanted to say to her. But she couldn’t. She didn’t want to ruin what she and Laura already had. Laura had never given her any indication that she wanted anything other than being her friend. She had vowed to herself long ago that that’s all they would ever be.

 

“Laura,” she began, softly, “you’ll find someone, I’m sure of it. You’re beautiful and smart and charming and even though you can be a pain in the ass sometimes...” she paused to smile at Laura, who furrowed her eyebrows at that last part. “...I don’t see why anyone _wouldn’t_ want that. You’ll meet a girl who will want to see the world with you. She’ll follow you to the ends of the earth because no matter where she is, she’ll always feel at home when she’s with you. You’ll find her,” Carmilla said quietly, careful not to speak too loud in fear that her voice would crack with sadness.

 

If only Laura knew Carmilla was describing herself.

 

Laura leaned further into Carmilla’s side. “You’re a great friend, Carm,” she whispered. “I meant what I said earlier. I’m really glad you’re here with me.”

 

“Me too, cupcake.”

 

Unfortunately, their moment was ruined by the grumbling of Carmilla’s stomach. Laura giggled, pulling away from her. “You hungry?”

 

“Apparently,” Carmilla said with a shrug.

 

“Good, because I am too. Let’s get out of here and grab some food. It’s about time we check out that buffet I read about yesterday,” Laura replied, standing up from her seat and elegantly stepping out of the tub and sauntering toward the towel rack, Carmilla following close behind.

 

***

 

“So, any ideas on what you wanna do after this?” Carmilla asked Laura, who was sitting on the other side of the table and in the midst of taking a large bite out of her sandwich.

 

“Mm numph mmph,” Laura declared with her mouth full.

 

Carmilla gave her a funny look as she nonchalantly dipped one of her french fries into the dollop of ketchup on her plate.

 

Laura swallowed. “I was saying ‘I don’t know.’ Do you have any ideas?”

 

“Not really,” Carmilla shrugged. “We’ve only been on the ship for a little under 24 hours. We still have plenty of time to explore and find all the best spots on the ship anyway.”

 

“Yeah, that’s true,” Laura agreed. “Why don’t we just do some more exploring? This ship has like twenty decks and we’ve only visited three of them. There’s bound to be something interesting to find along the way.”

 

“Sounds perfect,” Carmilla smiled.

 

They spent the rest of their lunch engaging in their normal banter, marveling at their view of the sea from the windows of the restaurant, and of course, going back up to the buffet for seconds. Carmilla couldn’t contain her laughter when Laura, mere moments after finishing her second plate of fries, asked “So, how about dessert?”

 

***

 

“I can’t believe you almost walked straight into someone’s cabin.”

 

“Hey! The door was wide open _,_ I thought it was a bar or something,” Laura whined at Carmilla.

 

The two were strolling side by side along the starboard side of the 5th deck. They had spent a few hours wandering through the rest of the ship, occasionally stopping to admire the view or check the map. Despite finding out that the majority of the upper decks save for the lido deck consisted of mostly cabins, they were pleased to find that the lower decks were full of entertaining venues and facilities.

 

The sun was beginning to make its descent through the open sky, giving their surroundings a subtle tinge of pink and causing the once-bright blue ocean to lose some of its luster. Nonetheless, it was still a gorgeous view.

 

“Anyway, I think I’m finally used to keeping my balance with all this rocking. I felt like I was drunk for a while,” Laura said.

 

“Wait until you actually _get_ drunk. I hope you don’t get dizzy and fall over the edge,” Carmilla smirked.

 

Laura paused in her tracks. “Oh shut—” she began to say to Carmilla, but almost immediately, her train of thought shifted. “Shuffleboard!” She cried cheerfully, grabbing onto Carmilla’s wrist and leading her toward the marked area of the deck.

 

“Seriously, cupcake?” Carmilla groaned. “This game is for old people.”

 

“Don’t be so grumpy. Haven’t you played shuffleboard before?”

 

“Uh, no?”

 

“Well, it’s fun! I used to play all the time when I visited Gran,” Laura argued.

 

“Oh, so it _is_ an old person game.”

 

“Nuh-uh. It’s a great game for all ages and I’m going to prove it to you. Here,” Laura handed Carmilla a cue stick, keeping one for herself. “So what you have to do is pick a disc and then take your cue stick and push it along the floor. See those numbers over there?” She pointed straight ahead to the other end of the board marked by a triangular pattern. “That’s where you wanna aim. If you land in a zone with a number on it, you get the number of points marked on the zone. But it has to be _completely_ in, you can’t be touching the edges. Now watch and learn.” She paused. “I’m assuming you want the black discs, right?”

 

“You know me so well, cupcake.”

 

“Alright, then I’ll take the yellow ones,” Laura said as she steadied herself by the near end of the board. Gracefully, she took one step forward, pushing the cue stick along the surface of the board until it came in contact with one of the yellow discs laid out in front of her. The disc glided across the board, gradually losing pace until it came to a full stop in the zone marked with a number 8 on it.

 

“8 points for Hufflepuff!” Laura yelled.

 

“Well would you look at that?” Carmilla said. “You really are good at this game.”

 

“Well, now it’s your turn. Come here, I’ll show you how to do it.”

 

Carmilla slowly padded over toward Laura, who set her cue stick aside and then closed the distance between them. The next thing she knew, Laura was standing very close to her, with one hand on her hip and the other guiding her left arm. “It’s gonna be a little tricky for me to help since you’re left-handed, but I think we can make it work,” she said. “Alright, you have the right stance. Now you’ve gotta thrust the cue stick forward. Ready?”

 

Carmilla nodded, hoping Laura couldn’t see her blush from the close proximity.

 

“Okay, go!” Laura exclaimed.

 

Carmilla tried her best to mimic Laura’s movements. To her surprise, the black disc travelled a considerable distance across the board before landing right in the middle between 8 and 10.

 

“It’s on the line so you don’t get any points, but that was a good move! You’ll get the hang of it in no time,” Laura flashed a smile at Carmilla, who immediately returned it.

 

“Your turn again, Shuffleboard Master,” Carmilla said, stepping aside to make room for Laura.

 

Laura took her signature stance once more and guided her second yellow disc across the board. This time, it landed in the apex of the triangle, right over the number 10.

 

“Haha, I did it!” She cried, jumping up and down.

 

“Good job, cupcake. But I’m feeling confident now, so you better watch out.” Carmilla took Laura’s place at the edge of the board.

 

“Go Carm go! Go Carm go!” Laura cheered beside her.

 

Carmilla pulled the cue stick back, then brushed it forward, hitting the disc a little too hard and a little too crooked.

 

The disc skidded across the floor in a diagonal path, travelling straight past the edge of the board and right under the safety rails of the deck, plummeting overboard.

 

She rushed over to the side of the deck and watched the disc fall until it resembled a tiny black dot against a backdrop of blue. They were too high up on the ship to hear a satisfying kerplunk noise of the disc hitting the water, but Carmilla knew there probably was one.

 

She was mortified.

 

“Oh my god. I can’t believe I did that,” she groaned, covering her eyes with her hand.

 

“Hey, I’m sure it happens all the time,” Laura assured her. “The crew probably has tons of extras in storage for occasions like this.”

 

“Yeah, I guess you’re right. And it’s the ship’s fault anyway for having such a stupid design. That gap between the deck and the safety rail is the perfect size for one of those discs to slide underneath.”

 

Laura nodded. “Okay, so maybe shuffleboard isn’t your thing. But as we saw earlier, there are tons of other fun things to do on this ship! Where to next?”

 

“Honestly? I’m getting kind of tired. Why don’t we head back to the room and have a little down time before dinner?”

 

Laura nodded. “I’m cool with that,” she said. “We have reservations in the Blue Jay Dining Room at 8, so that gives us some time to relax for a bit and get ready.”

 

***

 

“Carm? Are you almost done in there?” Laura called from outside the bathroom. “I need to fix my hair.”

 

“Yeah, just a second,” Carmilla responded, eyeliner pencil in hand. She was focusing very hard on getting her left eye to match her right eye. So far, things weren’t going in her favor.

 

Once she decided that going over her eyelid another time would just make things worse, Carmilla opened the door of the bathroom to reveal an antsy Laura, clad in a light blue floral sundress and eager to take Carmilla’s place behind the mirror to fix her hair.

 

She instantly felt underdressed in her sheer white short-sleeved blouse adorned with black lace.

 

“How do I look?” Laura asked, twisting from side to side and causing the skirt of her dress to billow out around her.

 

“B-Beautiful,” Carmilla stammered. “Um, should I be... dressed nicer?”

 

“I think you look lovely,” Laura smiled. “Don’t worry, the dining room we’re going to is pretty casual. Save your nicest outfit for when we go to the Raven,” she said.

 

“Wait. When are we going to The Raven?” Carmilla asked. The Raven, named after yet another bird in the corvidae family like all of the dining rooms and restaurants on Corvae Cruise Line, was the fanciest dining venue on the ship. How they were going to be able to afford dinner there, Carmilla wasn’t sure.

 

“Haven’t decided yet. We’ll save it for a night we want to feel extra fancy,” Laura said. “Okay, now that I fixed the rat’s nest that was my hair, it’s time to get some food!”

 

***

 

“Welcome, ladies. Can I help you find your table?” said the maitre d’, a man of about 25 years with dark curly hair and an immaculately-tailored tuxedo.

 

“Yes please, we have a reservation for two under the name Hollis,” Laura answered.

 

“One moment,” The maitre d’ flipped through a small pile of paper on the lectern he was standing behind. “Ah, yes, right this way,” he said, leading them over to a small table by the large glass window overlooking the stern of the ship. “Here you are. Have a wonderful evening.”

 

“Thank you,” Laura said with a polite smile, pulling a chair out and taking a seat.

 

“Thanks,” Carmilla echoed, seating herself across from Laura.

 

Now that they were seated, Carmilla allowed herself to fully take in her surroundings. She slowly scanned the room, noting the large, glistening crystal chandelier in the middle of the ceiling, softly illuminating the entire dining room. Each table was dressed in a pure white tablecloth and adorned with a small, glowing candle. The room was filled with the lively chatter of voices and intermittent clanking of silverware against dishes. Somewhere in the distance, the smooth sounds of a jazz piano rang out. It was quite a different ambience from the rowdy, energetic buffet they had eaten at earlier that day. An assortment of delicious aromas filled the air around her, reminding her of how hungry she was. Through the smooth glass windowpane beside her, Carmilla could see for miles. The sun was beginning to set for real, bathing the flat plane of the horizon in pinks and golds and violets. And then there was Laura, sitting in front of her, looking gorgeous as ever as she perused the menu.

 

“Wow, cupcake. If this place is this nice, I don’t even wanna know what that other dining room is like,” she purred, giving Laura a slight smirk.

 

“You haven’t seen anything yet,” Laura said, smirking back at her. “Anyway, have you taken a look at this menu? There are so many things I want to try!”

 

“I’m sure by the time the trip is up, you’ll have tried everything on the menu,” Carmilla teased.

 

“That’s the plan, and you’re gonna help me finish it all.”

 

Just then, a tall blonde woman approached the table. “Good evening, I’m Stella and I’ll be your server,” she said in a bubbly tone. “May I interest you in our specials for tonight?”

 

“Yes please!” Laura answered.

 

While Stella read off the list of specials, Carmilla admired the way Laura smiled as she listened patiently and the way she lit up the second Stella mentioned their dessert special for the night: chocolate cake.

 

“Can I get you something to drink?” Stella asked.

 

Before Carmilla could answer, Laura said  “Could we get a bottle of wine?”

 

“Of course! White or red?”

 

Laura turned back to Carmilla. “I’m in the mood for red, is that okay with you?”

 

“Oh—um, yeah,” Carmilla answered, a bit taken aback by Laura’s sudden request. Wouldn’t they have to pay for that?

 

“Red please!” Laura announced.

 

“Okay, I’ll be back with your wine in a few moments and then I can take your order.”

 

Stella soon sauntered off and the two were left alone again.

 

“Laura, what the heck? That’s gonna be so expensive! Did you even bring money with you?”

 

Laura giggled. “You haven’t been on a cruise ship before, have you?”

 

“No, but—”

 

“The food is included, everything is already paid for! It’s all part of the package.”

 

“Oh,” Carmilla said.

 

“This will be our table for the entire trip, and Stella will be our waitress every night. Well, unless we choose to go to The Raven Dining Room or the buffet or something. But yeah, as long as we’re here at the Blue Jay, we don’t have to worry about anything but getting here on time.”

 

Carmilla nodded. “Well, now I feel like an idiot.”

 

Just then, Stella returned. “Here is your wine,” she said, pouring each of them a glass and placing the now half-empty bottle on the table. “Are you ready to order?”

 

“Yes!” Laura said. “I’ll start with the caesar salad and then for my main course I’d like the pasta primavera.”

 

“Okay, and for you?” Stella turned to Carmilla.

 

“I’ll have the minestrone soup and the filet mignon please. Medium rare.”

 

“Great!” Stella said, and then once again vanished from sight into the kitchen.

 

“So, tomorrow we’ll be in Bermuda. We’re probably going through the Bermuda Triangle as we speak. Spoooooky,” Laura said, widening her eyes and wiggling her fingers.

 

“Oh, please. Everyone knows the Bermuda Triangle is _south_ of Bermuda. We’re travelling from the north. If anything, we’ll be going through it tomorrow night after we _leave_ Bermuda.”

 

“Whatever!” Laura groaned. “Anyway, I was going to ask you what you wanted to do tomorrow.”

 

“Well, Barb suggested checking out those caves. That seems pretty cool.”

 

Laura gave Carmilla a funny look. “Carmilla Karnstein thinking something is ‘pretty cool’? And taking a suggestion from someone?” She gasped. “Who are you and what have you done to the real Carm?”

 

Carmilla sighed.

 

“All teasing aside, that does sound fun. I also want to check out the beach, but we’ll have all day, I’m sure there will be enough time for both.”

 

“Sounds like a plan, cupcake.”

 

They passed the time waiting for their food by partaking in their usual mindless chatter, taking pauses to look out at the horizon to admire the way the setting sun made both sea and sky cycle through a spectrum of hues, pink and peach and gold. By the time Stella arrived with their first course, their view was now a lovely mix of pale violet and indigo.

 

The two happily dug into their meals, offering each other tastes of their own dishes. Carmilla had to admit, it was some of the best food she had ever tasted in her life. When it came time for Stella to collect their dishes and take their dessert order, Laura gleefully declared that they would like to split a slice of chocolate cake.

 

***

 

“Ugh, I’m so full. I just want to curl up into a ball and never move again,” Laura complained as she and Carmilla walked back to their suite. “Are you sure it’s okay we’re not doing anything else tonight?”

 

“Nah, I’m fine.” Carmilla was glad Laura didn’t feel like doing anything else for the rest of the night. Although she wasn’t feeling quite as full as Laura seemed to be, she was beginning to feel a bit sleepy after having such a big meal, not to mention the amount of walking and swimming they did that day. It would be nice to finally put on her pajamas and tuck herself into bed next to Laura.

 

“We should probably get an early night anyway, we’ll have to get up early tomorrow if we want to make the most of the day trip.”

 

Carmilla nodded in agreement.

 

“Well, here we are,” Laura said when they arrived at the door of their suite. With a swift swipe of her keycard she unlocked the door, holding it open for Carmilla to follow her inside.

 

Later that night, as she was laying in bed, smothered in the thick blankets with Laura at her side, Carmilla let out a breath she had been holding for a long time. It felt so fulfilling to finally see Laura regaining her spark again.

 

She could get used to this.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Shoutout to monicaoakwood, my lovely beta :)


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Laura and Carmilla visit Bermuda. Laura gets more flirty, while Carm gets more... useless.

"I'm so excited!" Laura squealed. The ship had arrived and docked in Bermuda overnight, and she and Carmilla were in line to leave the ship and embark on their first excursion of the trip. "This is gonna be amazing. I've heard so many incredible things about the island, and now I finally get to see it for myself!"    
  
"I still don't understand how you have so much energy this early in the morning," Carmilla said gruffly. She wasn't completely alert, even after a lively wake up call from Laura. The girl had practically pounced on her to get her out of bed, and Carmilla had jolted awake in a frenzy from the feeling of the mattress lurching up and down and the sound of Laura's shrill voice announcing that it was time to get up. She didn't exactly appreciate the nature of the gesture, even if she did find Laura's enthusiasm cute.   
  
"Come on, aren't you excited too?" Laura was practically buzzing at this point.   
  
"I am, cutie. I'm just confused about why you're the hyperactive one even though I was the one who drank all that coffee."    
  
"You've always been the broody one in this relationship," Laura pointed out.    
  
Carmilla hummed in agreement, trying not to read too much into the word "relationship."    
  
Laura gripped Carmilla's hand and began gently swinging it to and fro as they proceeded down the line. "Okay, so the plan is to get on the ferry to Hamilton and take the bus to the caves. Then if we have time left, we can head to the beach or grab some lunch or something. I wonder if we'll run into Harry and Barb! We should have made more solid plans with them yesterday. Oh well, I'm sure we'll see them again eventually."   
  
"Great," Carmilla replied dryly.   
  
"By the way, we have to be back on the ship at 5pm, so we should be fine, but I set a reminder on my phone just in case so we can have enough time to catch the ferry back to the ship. We don't want to get stranded! Then again, this wouldn't be a bad place to get stranded," Laura chattered on while Carmilla listened, half content and half irritated as usual.    
  
As they proceeded forward, the view from beyond the exit became visible. Carmilla had caught a quick glimpse from their balcony earlier this morning, but the sight of the port from ground level was quite different from what she had previously seen from 16 decks up. Towering palms shot up into the cloudless, deep blue sky, where the sun seemed to shine brighter than Carmilla had ever seen before—and that was only the the cruise terminal. There would be so much more to experience once they reached downtown Hamilton.

 

Finally, they made it to the front of the queue. After a crew member searched their bags and allowed them to exit, they stepped down onto the port.    
  
Laura let out an audible gasp when she saw what was before her. "Look at those palm trees!" She exclaimed, pointing straight ahead to a small group of tall, bending palms. "I've never seen one up close before."    
  
"They are kind of cool," Carmilla concurred, stifling a grin. If Laura had that precious of a reaction over just a few trees, she couldn't wait to see her reaction to the rest of the island. 

 

Carmilla scanned her surroundings until her gaze landed on a path to left. At the end of it stood a large, circular stone archway, and beyond that, a spectacular view of the sea. Several tourists had already began flocking around it, some walking through it, others taking photos. 

 

She was about to ask Laura if she knew what the strange structure was when Laura beat her to the punch. “Carm, look over there. That’s a moon gate!” She exclaimed, guiding her closer. “They’re all over the island. I read about them in the travel guide. Moon gates were inspired by Chinese architecture, but the ones here are made of limestone and are a little different from the ones you’d find in a Chinese garden. It’s said that if you walk through one as a newlywed, you’ll have good luck,” Laura drabbled, then added, bitterly, “Not that applies to either of us.” 

 

“Hey, it’s okay. Maybe walking through it will give you good luck anyway,” Carmilla suggested. She was never the type to believe in luck, but Laura looked so excited, and she didn’t want her to miss out on something she had clearly been looking forward to just because things didn’t work out between her and Danny. “Come on,” she said, tugging at Laura’s hand and leading her down the path. 

 

Laura clung to Carmilla’s hand as they approached the moon gate. They paused for a moment, standing directly below the circular archway, as Laura flashed a shy smile at Carmilla. Carmilla smiled back and squeezed Laura’s hand as they passed through. 

 

It was then that she finally understood why the spot was so popular with couples. There truly was something special, magical even, about the moon gate. In fact, Carmilla was so wrapped up in the feeling that she almost didn’t notice the stares directed at her and Laura. Or the smiles. Or the quiet “awww” that came from a group of tourists beside the gate. 

 

Carmilla tried very hard to hide her blushing. 

 

Most of the spectators had soon focused their attention elsewhere, but Carmilla noticed a young woman in a blue baseball cap slowly moving toward where she and Laura stood.

 

“Excuse me. Would you two like me to take your picture?” She asked shyly. 

 

“Yes, please!” Laura chirped. “That’s so kind of you!” 

 

“My pleasure,” the woman gushed. “You’re such a beautiful couple.” 

 

Carmilla sputtered. “Oh, uh, we—” 

 

“Aww, thank you!” Laura interrupted. She handed the woman her phone and squeezed in closer to Carmilla, all the while Carmilla attempted to keep her cool—something that was very hard to do with the blazing sun beaming down on her and her best friend pretending to be her wife. 

 

The woman snapped a few photos of the two of them standing close, encircled by the moon gate.

 

“I hope these turned out okay,” the girl said, sheepishly returning the phone to Laura, who began swiping through the photos. 

 

“They look great! Thank you,” she said with a bright smile. 

 

The woman returned the grin. “No problem. Congratulations!” she said as they parted ways. 

 

Carmilla’s brows furrowed. She still hadn’t quite processed everything that had just happened. Why hadn’t Laura corrected her? Could they go a single day without being mistaken for a married couple? Had the moon gate cursed her? 

 

The day was already off to a weird start, and Carmilla had a hunch that it would only get weirder.    
  


***

 

“Is this place even real? I feel like I’m in a dream or something,” Laura sighed as she and Carmilla strolled down Front Street. According to Laura’s travel guide, the street was one of the most popular ones on the island for shopping. To their right was the harbor, where the cerulean sea stretched on for miles, and to their left was an array of buildings painted in brilliant pastel shades, each topped with a pristine white roof. 

 

It was certainly nothing like anywhere she’d been before. Everything was so cheerful. So  _ bright.  _ “Well, it’s definitely not my preferred aesthetic, but it sure is pretty.”

 

“Okay, we’re definitely going to have to come back here and do some shopping on the way back to the ship. There are so many shops I want to check out but I know if we do it now, I’ll just spend all day there and we’ll miss out on the rest of the cool things we’ve got planned.” 

 

With a map in Laura’s hand, they travelled down the street in search for the nearest bus stop. For the most part, they managed to avoid getting lost—Laura did lead them down the wrong street at one point, causing a minor dispute between the two over who should be in charge of the map, but they successfully arrived at the bus stop in no time. 

 

Carmilla plopped herself down on the bench, and Laura followed suit. “So,” Laura said, “are you ready for some spelunking?”

 

“Oh god, don’t say it like that, you dork,” Carmilla replied with a laugh. “But if you must know, then yes, I am.” 

 

“Good. Because I am too. Also, I’m glad you nagged me about bringing the sunscreen with us today. I can already feel myself burning.” 

 

“I guess it’s a good thing we’ll be spending most of the day underground, then. Don’t have to worry about getting sunburned when you’re in a dark cave,”  Carmilla pointed out. 

 

Just then, a pale pink bus adorned with two blue stripes pulled up to the stop. ‘ _ Damn, even the buses are cheery and colorful,’  _ Carmilla thought to herself as she and Laura stepped on.

 

They paid the fare and found two adjacent seats toward the back. The bus was considerably crowded and Carmilla had to lean into Laura’s side to make room for the other passengers, but neither girl seemed to mind the closeness.

 

The view from the bus as they rode to the caves was even prettier than what they saw from the ferry. Now that they were deeper into the island, they were surrounded by lush, green vegetation. Nestled into the hills were rows of houses, each painted in unique yet equally chipper hues, just like the buildings that stood out on Front Street. The sky above them took on a luxurious shade of blue, embellished with puffy white clouds. 

 

Laura was right: it  _ did  _ feel like a dream. 

 

***

 

“Whoa, check out that stalagmite!” Laura gestured to the left at a large stone spike protruding from the ceiling of the cave. She and Carmilla, along with a tour guide and a small group of other visitors, were carefully descending the many stairs down into the cave. 

 

“That's not a stalagmite, cupcake. That's a  _ stalactite. _ It's hanging down from the roof of the cave. Haven't you been listening to the tour guide?” 

 

“Uh, not really.”

 

Carmilla had to admit that she wasn't exactly paying full attention either. Right now, the guide, a wiry young man whose name Carmilla had forgotten immediately after he introduced himself, was in the middle of some dull spiel about the geological process that led to the formation of the caves during the Ice Age. Meanwhile, Carmilla had been tuning in and out, occasionally switching her attention to the beautiful views inside the cave, which, of course, included Laura, her eyes wide in awe as she took in her surroundings. 

 

“The caves remained untouched for thousands of years until 1907, when two boys, Carl Gibbons and Edgar Hollis, accidentally discovered the caves while retrieving a lost cricket ball,” The tour guide remarked. 

 

Laura perked up the moment she heard the name “Hollis” and playfully grinned at Carmilla, who couldn't help but smile back. 

 

“The caves soon became a tourist attraction, with writer Mark Twain being one of the first visitors,” he continued. “But Twain isn’t the only pop culture this location is tied to. The caves also served as inspiration for the TV show  _ Fraggle Rock,”   _ the guide continued.

 

As he spewed useless facts about muppets and their relation to the caves, Carmilla once again lost interest—that is, until they reached the bottom of the stairs, where the cave deepened.

 

“Watch your step,” the guide said as he waited for the rest of the group to move from the stairs to the walkway. 

 

It was then that Carmilla was able to see the cave in its entirety. Beneath the stretching wooden walkway was a lake. The deep waters appeared to be a striking shade of turquoise, a stark contrast against the cream-colored limestone of the cave’s walls. Its surface remained serene and smooth like a pane of glass, allowing one to gaze down deep to the bottom. 

 

“Wow,” she and Laura gasped at nearly the same time.

 

“Now, remember to hold onto your belongings securely,” the guide warned, gesturing to the water. “If you look closely at the bottom of the lake, you’ll see our past victims.” Sure enough, at the bottom of the lake lay several lost items, including sunglasses, wallets, spare change, and even a few cell phones. 

 

The tour group slowly proceeded along the walkway through the cave as the guide pointed out its various formations and features, giving long explanations of their history and the science behind them. Carmilla and Laura found themselves lingering toward the back of the group, walking steadily along side by side. 

 

Laura paused for a moment to lean over the railing and gaze at the lake below. Her face, tranquil and focused, tilted downward toward the glossy plane of water. Shimmering strands of hair fell around her shoulders and along the delicate curve of her back. With her figure softly illuminated by the pale lamplight above, she looked absolutely stunning. 

 

Without hesitating, Carmilla reached into her pocket, pulled out her phone, and snapped a candid photo of the girl. She didn’t seem to notice, however, too lost in the sight before her. 

 

_ ‘So beautiful,’  _ Carmilla thought to herself.

 

Laura giggled suddenly. 

 

Carmilla blushed. Had she just said that out loud? “Um, I—”

 

“Who knew that visiting these caves could turn you into such a big softie?” Laura interrupted, turning to face Carmilla. “You’re so right though. This is super unique to anything I’ve ever seen. Look at that how blue it is,” She said in awe. 

 

Carmilla exhaled, relieved that Laura had taken the remark to be about the water, not her. She took a step forward, joining Laura at the edge of the walkway and leaning over the railing like she was. 

 

“Have I mentioned recently how glad I am that you’re on this trip with me?” Laura asked, still facing the water. 

 

“Once or twice,” Carmilla remarked with a hint of a smile. 

 

The two girls turned to face each other, and now that Carmilla could see Laura’s face, her heart was pounding even more than before. The impulse to lean forward and kiss her was taking over fast and seeming more desirable than ever...

 

She aggressively pushed the thought down. They were best friends friends, after all, and she knew that kissing her best friend would only end in heartbreak. But she couldn’t help noticing that Laura was glancing at her lips, and then back at her eyes, and then back down at her lips, and they were alone and—

 

Wait. They were  _ alone.  _

 

Carmilla cleared her throat. “Uh, cupcake? Where’s the rest of the group?” 

 

Laura’s eyes widened. “Oh crap,” she mumbled under her breath. She swiftly grabbed Carmilla’s hand and sprang forward, pulling Carmilla with her. 

 

Carmilla began to panic as she followed Laura. Would they be able to find their way out of the cave themselves? Would they get stuck down here until the next tour group arrived? Would they miss the bus or the ferry back to the ship? 

 

She was so busy worrying that she didn’t notice the sharp turn to the left ahead of them. Laura jolted around the corner which led to a small nook in the cave that had been invisible from the outside. As Carmilla turned the corner she was flooded with relief. Inside the nook was the rest of the tour group, including a very exasperated guide. 

 

“Nice of you to join us, ladies,” he breathed. 

 

“Sorry,” Laura apologized with a dry laugh. “We got distracted by the stalactites.”

 

“Stalagmites, actually,” Carmilla added facetiously, earning her a jab in the shoulder from Laura. 

 

***

 

“You’re a genius, Carm,” Laura said with her mouth full. “Ice cream for lunch was definitely the best decision of the day.” 

 

Carmilla grunted in agreement, taking another bite of her own ice cream. After the getting-lost-in-the-cave debacle, they toured the remainder of the underground attraction and safely exited along with the rest of the group. A bit of wandering around the area landed them at an adorable little ice cream stand, where they each purchased a cone and were now happily eating as they made their way back to the bus stop. 

 

“How’s the chocolate ice cream?” Laura asked, licking her lips. 

 

“It’s delicious. How’s the strawberry?” Carmilla replied. 

 

“Amazing. Here, try some,” She offered, holding her ice cream cone out for Carmilla to taste, who obliged. 

 

“Not as good as the chocolate, but still pretty tasty,” she said. “Want to try some of mine?” 

 

“You bet!” Laura grabbed the cone from Carmilla’s hand and took a large bite. “Ooh, this  _ is  _ delicious! Sorry Carm, this is mine now.” 

 

“Hey!” Carmilla swatted at Laura’s arm. “Give that back, you have your own!” 

 

“Nope,” Laura giggled, taking a bite from the strawberry ice cream in her left hand, then the chocolate ice cream in her right hand.

 

“But Lauraaaaa.” Carmilla made sure to accompany her whining with her best attempt at puppy dog eyes. She would never be as good at it as Laura, the notorious master of the technique, but after years of observing her best friend, she was getting pretty good at it. 

 

Laura took one look at her and burst into laughter. “Ugh, fine,” she said, returning the treat to Carmilla. 

 

“Thank you,” Carmilla replied. 

 

“By the way, how much time do we have left?” Laura asked. 

 

Carmilla retrieved her phone from her pocket and glanced at the lock screen. “About three hours.” 

 

Laura nodded. “I wish we could stay here for at least another day. It’s just so beautiful.”

 

She was right. As they walked in the shade of the towering trees, passing house after house, Carmilla felt oddly at peace, more so than she had felt in a while—although the fresh air and the welcoming change of scenery was only partially responsible. Deep down she knew that Laura’s presence was the main influence on her mood. She could follow this girl anywhere in the world and never want anything more.

 

“How about we check out the beach before we go?” she asked. 

 

Laura beamed at her, brighter than the sun. “Yeah! I need to see this famous pink sand for myself.” 

 

***

 

For about the fourth time that day, Carmilla found herself in awe of the beautiful island around them. This time, her reverence was inspired by the sight of the gorgeous beach that stretched out before her. Just like Laura described, the fine, warm sand below her feet and between her toes took on the softest shade of pink. With the glass-green sea ahead, she truly felt like she was on another planet. 

 

Carmilla inhaled deeply, letting the salty ocean air fill her lungs and the rush of the waves hitting the sand fill her mind. She had never been much of a beach person, but this was nothing like her past beach trips to stretches of muddy, pebbly sand, cold, murky water, and harsh, chilly breezes. Everything was the exact opposite here: colorful, charming, peaceful, radiant, warm. It felt like paradise. 

 

She felt a gentle tug at her hand and snapped out of her reverie to find Laura leading her closer to the water. They stepped toward the shoreline, hand in hand, until the waves were close enough to cover their bare feet. Carmilla wiggled her toes in response. It was surprisingly warm.

 

“This is a nice change from the beaches back home, huh?” She said. 

 

“I definitely prefer this to treading over gravelly sand and barely being able to wade to my knees in the freezing cold water,” Laura agreed. “I can’t believe we didn’t bring our swimsuits.” 

 

Carmilla hummed. “This is nice, though. Walking along the shore.” 

 

“Yeah,” Laura squeezed Carmilla’s hand. “It's actually really freeing, being out here. Being able to look out toward the sea and see nothing in my way. Nothing to worry about, no problems to face, no one to fail. For the longest time I've tried to fix my problems and stick with things even when they were hard. I feel like if I didn’t, then I wouldn’t be me anymore. But it feels nice to just run away for once.” She turned to Carmilla. “Maybe some problems just can't be fixed, and you just have to run away before you get hurt any more.”

 

Carmilla wasn't sure she agreed. She'd done her fair share of running from her problems, and in the end it only caused her more heartbreak. But she expressed agreement nonetheless. It wasn’t the kind of advice she’d want for herself, but it might just be the kind Laura needed. “Maybe some problems are only fixed  _ by  _ running from them. Sometimes you just need to get away so you can look at the big picture,” 

 

God, she couldn't even listen to herself right now. She felt like gagging. What kind of mushy Hallmark Channel nonsense just spewed from her mouth? 

 

Despite her own disgust, Carmilla’s words seemed to strike something within Laura. Her eyes locked on Carmilla’s, and once again she was able to see the flecks of amber and gold embedded in her irises. The look she was giving her in this moment was so heartfelt, so affectionate, that Carmilla was barely able to contain herself. Laura stood so dangerously close to her, licking her lips hesitantly as if there was something she was contemplating doing, or saying, and once again Carmilla found herself thinking about how if she was just a little bit braver, a little bit more spontaneous, she could lean in just the smallest amount and finally find out for herself if Laura’s lips really felt as soft against her own as she imagined. 

 

“You know what? You're right,” she said. “You always have the best advice, Carm.” 

 

Barely a second later, Laura’s grip on Carmilla’s hand tightened and she began running, pulling Carmilla with her as she picked up speed. It took her a moment to regain her bearings but soon they were sprinting down the shore, hand in hand, hair blowing behind them, bare feet kicking at sand, and lungs filling with ocean breeze. It was a feeling that brought her back to her childhood, and her mind flooded with memories of the sheer euphoria that came from running careless and free with her best friend by her side. 

 

Eventually Laura slowed down and Carmilla matched her pace, jogging alongside her with bated breath until they both stopped and Laura untangled their hands. She then stepped onward, putting a bit of space between them, before lunging forward and cartwheeling across the sand. She landed the trick perfectly with her lean but muscular arms straight above her head and smiled right at Carmilla before turning around and doing another. 

 

“When I said run, I didn't mean literally,” Carmilla said, smirking. “But those were some impressive cartwheels. You’ve improved since our parents signed us up for gymnastics camp that one summer when we were eight.”

 

Laura rolled her eyes. “Laugh me all you want, but cartwheeling takes an impressive amount of strength and balance, which I’ve maintained through years of yoga and krav maga,” she gloated, crossing her arms.

 

“I wasn't making fun of you! I really am impressed,” Carmilla protested. “But we both know who’s the better cartwheeler between us. Your tumbling skills don’t stand a chance.”

 

“Carm, no, don’t. When was the last time you did a cartwheel? You could get seriously hurt, and we don’t know where the nearest hospital is, and—”

 

Carmilla ignored her. “Get ready to be out-cartwheeled, Laura Hollis.” She steadied herself and took her starting pose. Laura opened her mouth to object again but before she could say anything, Carmilla dove forward, planted her hands on the ground, and kicked her legs above her. It was going petty well...

 

...Until she fell straight back down onto her ass, landing with an audible _ thump _ and sending up a cloud of pink sand around her. 

 

“Carm!” Laura cried out, rushing toward her and crouching down beside her. “Are you okay?” 

 

“Fine,” she groaned. “Just covered in sand.” 

 

Laura helped her back up and she brushed the sand off of her clothes, silently reminding herself not to try to use gymnastics to impress cute girls. 

 

“I told you,” Laura reprimanded her.

 

“Fine, you win this round, Hollis.” 

 

Laura looked down at her watch. “We should probably start heading back soon. We’ve got time but it's kind of a long walk back to the ferry and I still want to go back to Front Street.” 

 

“Lead the way, cutie,” Carmilla said, as they travelled back up the beach to where their shoes lay on the sand. 

 

***

 

“Ugh. My feet are killing me from all that walking we did today,” Laura whined the instant they returned to the cabin. She kicked her sandals off and set them to the side of the bedroom next to her suitcase. 

 

“I'm a little sore too, but that's probably from when I fell on my ass earlier,” Carmilla said, flopping carelessly onto the bed. She reached for the book she had left on the table adjacent to her, and thumbed through the pages until she found where she had left off earlier.

 

“That's your own fault, missy,” Laura chided, settling down next to her on the bed. 

 

She slipped her hand into the pocket of her shorts and took out her phone. Carmilla glanced out of the corner of her eye and was able to see that Laura was playing what looked like a very elaborate, very advanced level of Candy Crush. 

 

“What time is our dinner reservation again?” Carmilla asked, flipping her book to the next page.

 

“Eight. So, not for another two hours. Which is good because I'm too tired to even eat right now,” Laura responded. “We got up so early.” 

 

“Yeah.” Now that Laura mentioned it, she was starting to feel a little sleepy too. The more she read, more effort she had to use in order to keep going. She found herself reading lines over and over and having difficulty following along. 

 

A few pages later, she yawned. Unable to keep her eyes open any longer, she whispered. “I'm just gonna rest my eyes for a second.” 

 

“‘Kay,” Laura responded softly beside her.

 

***

 

When she finally opened her eyes, it was dark. The ship was rocking softly to the rhythm of the ocean, indicating that they had left the port long ago and were well on their way to the next stop on their journey. 

 

Carmilla looked down. Her book lay face down against her stomach where she had likely dropped it, and Laura was now snuggled up against her with her head tucked under Carmilla’s chin, asleep and breathing deeply. She would have found this adorable if not for the distraction of her bewilderment over how much time had passed as well as the fact that her shoulder was beginning to go numb. 

 

She gently shook the sleeping girl. 

 

“Laura,” she whispered. “Hey, Laura.” 

 

Laura stirred. Warily, she opened one eye just the slightest bit. “...Wuh?” She asked sleepily, then rolled off of Carmilla’s chest and propped herself up onto her elbows. “It's night time.” 

 

“Yeah,” Carmilla replied.

 

Laura let out a yawn. “I didn't even mean to fall asleep. But you had already conked out and I guess I just couldn’t stay awake. You’re just so comfy.”

 

Carmilla laughed. “How long were we out for?” 

 

“A few hours, at least,” Laura guessed. “You fell asleep before me, but I didn't stay up for too much longer.”She rolled over and reached for her phone, showing it to Carmilla. The soft glow of the lock screen told her it was 9:27 PM. Had she really slept for that long?

 

“We missed our dinner reservation,” Carmilla said, stretching her arms out in front of her, and rolling her shoulders, which had finally regained feeling. 

 

“Whoops.” Laura set her phone back onto the night table on her side of the bed. “Well, I'm hungry now, and the buffet is still open, so why don't we grab a bite to eat now?” 

 

“Fine by me,” Carmilla agreed. She rolled off the bed and padded into the bathroom, where she ran her fingers through her wild, sleep-tousled hair and applied a fresh coat of eyeliner over the slightly smudged lines she had applied in the morning. 

 

When she reached the door to the suite, Laura was already standing there, looking chipper as ever, her hair pulled back into a ponytail. Carmilla grabbed the flannel she had draped over the back of the sofa the previous day and shrugged it on as she followed Laura out the door. 

 

***

 

“It’s such a nice night,” Laura marveled. 

 

It truly was. The burning sun had long vanished, taking its heat with it and leaving behind a pleasant cool breeze and a myriad of stars in the sky to watch over them while they strolled back to their suite after both snarfing down a few slices of all-you-can-eat-buffet pizza. Carmilla looked upward for a moment to admire the glittering pricks of light on the way, making a mental note to put aside some time for when they had the chance. 

 

A gust of wind enveloped them, whipping through their clothes and lifting their hair about in various directions. 

 

That was when Carmilla noticed Laura’s shiver. “I didn’t expect it to be this cold and windy, though. I kinda wish I had brought a jacket,” she admitted. 

 

Without even thinking, Carmilla pulled off the flannel she was wearing and held it out for Laura to take. “Here.” 

 

“A-are you sure?” Laura stammered. “But then you’ll be the one who’s cold.” 

 

“It’s fine, really. I’m actually pretty warm,” she said, knowing full well that she was not in fact warm at all. “We’ll be inside soon anyway.”

 

“Oh. Okay then,” Laura shrugged, taking the red and black garment from Carmilla and wrapping it around her. She drew her arms in closer to her body. “It’s so soft,” she said.

 

Carmilla gulped. She was not prepared for how cute Laura looked in that flannel.  _ Her  _ flannel. 

 

“Thanks, Carm,” Laura said, a little sheepishly. “Always the chivalrous one.” 

 

“Don’t make me regret giving it to you, cupcake,” Carmilla teased. “It’s colder out here than I thought.” 

 

Without warning, Laura reached behind Carmilla to drape her arm around her shoulders, pulling her close to her side. “Maybe we can share the warmth.” 

 

For the rest of the walk home, Carmilla felt like she was going to spontaneously combust.

 

***

 

When they returned to their bedroom that evening, the first thing Carmilla noticed was the fluffy white object sitting on the duvet—a towel, folded artfully to resemble a four-legged creature with big ears and a long trunk. 

 

A literal elephant in the room. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm baaaack! Thank you so, so much for your patience. Also shoutout to [@schmeisto](http://schmeisto.tumblr.com/) on tumblr for beta-ing this chapter :D


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's a storm coming...

Carmilla awoke slowly to the sensation of fingertips tracing up and down her arm. She inhaled deeply, opening her eyes just a crack to find Laura gazing at her.

 

“Good morning,” Laura whispered softly. Her face was mere inches from Carmilla and their bodies pressed close, their legs tangled together under the warm, heavy covers and dim light morning light. 

 

“Morning,” Carmilla purred, her voice still sleepy and rough. 

 

Without warning, a playful giggle escaped from Laura’s mouth as she pulled Carmilla in closer, holding her tighter, causing her breath to hitch and her heart to flutter. Hands traveled down her side, trailing over her waist and hips. They were so close that their noses were touching and she could feel Laura’s hot breath against her lips. 

 

Then those lips were on hers. It started out as a slow, lazy kiss that deepened into something more passionate, more exhilarating, as Carmilla pushed forward, wanting more. While her hand moved up into Laura’s hair, Laura’s hands wandered further, winding around her back and digging into soft skin between her shoulder blades. 

 

Suddenly, Laura rolled onto her back and pulled Carmilla along with her until she was straddling the girl. The maneuver caught her off guard, and she stifled a laugh as she gained her bearings, then leaned in closer to capture Laura’s lips once more. She tugged on Laura’s bottom lip, and Laura moaned, sending shivers down Carmilla’s spine. 

 

She was a live wire. The world around her seemed to fall into place as she kissed Laura, heart racing, head spinning, gasping at the feeling of fingernails scratching down her back, a thigh slipping between her own and pressing against her—

 

_ Ding! Ding! Ding! _

 

Carmilla’s eyes shot open at the sound of three cheerful tones coming from the PA system on the ceiling. The voice that followed belonged to a woman, who spoke in a friendly but professional manner. Still disoriented by her rude awakening and a little frustrated that her dream had been so harshly interrupted, Carmilla attempted to steady her ragged breathing and suppress her aching desire as she listened closely to the announcement coming from overhead. 

 

_ “Good morning Corvae passengers, this is your cruise director speaking. We regret to inform you that due to a tropical storm developing south of us, we will be making some changes to our itinerary as a safety precaution,”  _ She announced. 

 

In response to the woman’s voice, Laura stirred next to Carmilla, blinking herself awake. “What’s going on?” She asked, rubbing her eyes.

 

“Bad weather,” Carmilla answered, running a hand through her hair. 

 

_ “To avoid the storm, we will be docking in Corvid Cay, Corvae Cruise Line’s exclusive private island resort, where we will be staying for one night, after which we will resume normally. Complimentary access to the resort will be included. Because of the delay, the length of this cruise will be extended from seven nights to nine nights. We apologize for the inconvenience,”  _ the cruise director continued.

 

_ “Please also note that due to the aforementioned inclement weather, we may experience high winds, rain, and rough seas today, and therefore all pools will be closed and above-deck outdoor activities will be cancelled for the day. Please check your daily memo for a schedule of the additional below-deck activities that will be happening in their place. We appreciate your understanding, and as always, thank you for cruising with Corvae!” _

 

The cruise director repeated her announcement as Carmilla lay in bed beside Laura, listening more carefully this time. Now that it was mentioned, she did notice that the ship seemed to be bobbing up and down a bit more violently than before, and the usual sunlight streaming in through the gaps in the window blinds were nothing more than the dull glow of an overcast sky. 

 

She turned to Laura. “Looks like we’ve got some extra time to enjoy ourselves.”

 

“Mmm,” Laura replied, rolling over to face Carmilla. “Too bad about the pool being closed though.”

 

“I’m sure we’ll find something else to keep ourselves entertained,” she suggested, mentally berating herself for how stupidly flirty that sounded. That dream  _ really _ must have set her off. 

 

“What do you say we go explore the ship some more? There are a few decks we still haven’t been to! And we could go ice skating, or see a show, or go to the casino!” 

 

“My my, Laura Hollis, I never knew you were into gambling,” she teased. 

 

“We’re spending the day in what is basically a tiny floating city in the middle of the ocean! Now is the time to be impulsive and take risks!” Laura said, tossing away the covers and sliding out of bed. “Go get ready, I’m gonna call room service and order us some breakfast. Pancakes?” 

 

Carmilla laughed. “Sure,” she said,as she pulled herself off of the bed and headed in the direction of the bathroom, all the while trying not to think too hard about her dream.

 

...Which was pretty difficult to do with steamy droplets of water falling down against her shoulders in the shower. She aggressively turned the faucet to the coldest possible setting. 

 

Minutes later, she stepped out of the bathroom in a fluffy white bathrobe, hair dripping against her neck and shoulders. She rounded the corner to the bedroom to grab the clothes she had picked out for the day. “Okay, bathroom’s all yours,” she announced, expecting to find Laura in the room. “I made sure to clean the hair out of the drain this time.”

 

But there was no sign of Laura in there.

 

“Laura?” She asked, cautiously.

 

She turned around and poked her head into the living room, where her eyes finally locked onto Laura, who was curled up in a ball on the sofa. Instead of her usually chipper demeanor, she stared back at Carmilla with a pale, blank expression. 

 

“Carm?” Laura said, her voice weak.

 

“ _ Laura _ ,” Carmilla gasped worriedly as she rushed to her side, leaning against the arm of the sofa. She leaned down and gently touched the back of her hand to Laura’s forehead. It was clammy, but there was no sign of a fever. “You alright?” She asked. 

 

“Not really. I’m dizzy. And nauseous,” Laura breathed. 

 

“Must be the high waves,” Carmilla said. “Okay, stay here for a second. I’m going to go find something to help with the motion sickness.” 

 

Carmilla sprung to action. She dashed to the bedroom and fished around her suitcase until she located the small bottle of motion sickness tablets nestled next to a pair of socks. After stopping by the still humid bathroom to fill an empty glass with water, she returned to the living room and handed it to Laura along with the medicine and a tender smile. 

 

The next step was to fetch a can of ginger ale from the well-stocked mini-fridge beside the TV. She decided to grab a can for herself while she was at it. 

 

Carmilla returned to the sofa and sat down next to Laura, wrapping an arm around her shoulder and handing her the can of ginger ale.

 

“You feeling any better, sweetheart?” she asked. 

 

“A little,” she said, pouting slightly as she popped open the can of ginger ale. 

 

“Guess we’ll be keeping it lowkey today, huh?” 

 

“I don’t want to ruin your day though,” Laura objected. “You can go out without me if you want. I’ll be fine.” 

 

“Hey, it’s okay,” Carmilla assured her, reaching out to tuck a loose strand of hair away from Laura’s face. “I really don’t mind. We’ve had an eventful couple of days, it’d be nice to just relax for a while. And we’ve got this huge TV that we haven’t even used yet. I think we’ll be fine. Just don’t barf on me or anything.” 

 

“I’ll try not to,” Laura said, her cheerful demeanor slowly returning. She took a sip of her ginger ale and settled in closer to Carmilla, who picked the remote up off the coffee table. 

 

It didn’t take long before they had agreed on some cheesy old movie musical to watch. Laura’s head was nestled against Carmilla’s chest, allowing her to lazily stroke her honey colored hair. Laura leaned into the touch, sighing contentedly as the opening credits rolled.

 

It occurred to Carmilla that she had never really considered herself a nurturing type of person, but there was just something about taking care of Laura that felt natural to her. It was something that she had never felt for any other girl before, or even for her little brother Will. Even weirder was that something deep inside her  _ wanted  _ this just as much as she wanted good morning kisses and cuddles and sex. She wanted to care for Laura, to hold her, to protect her, to make her feel better when she needed it. 

 

The comfort didn’t last for long, though. A few minutes into the movie, Laura squirmed against her. “I think this is making it worse,” she whined. 

 

Carmilla reached for the remote and switched off the TV, right in the middle of a dance scene full of whirling and bright colors. It was enough to make her feel nauseous too, and she wasn’t even the one who was seasick. “Shit. Okay, um...” she thought for a moment, trying to recall what Laura’s dad had told them what to do if this happened to either of them. Medication, ginger ale... 

 

“Fresh air might help. Come here,” she said, helping Laura to her feet and guiding her to the other side of the room where the sliding door that led out onto their balcony stood. 

 

Out on the deck were two lounge chairs. Carmilla sat down on one, fully expecting Laura to take the other, but instead Laura joined her, settling between her legs, her back relaxing into Carmilla’s front, facing the sea before them. The breathtaking blue they had greeted them just days ago was now a duller shade and veiled by a thin layer of fog, but it was still beautiful.

 

“That’s it,” she whispered, gently draping an arm around Laura. “Just look out at the horizon, focus on that. I’ve got you.” 

 

“Thank you for taking care of me,” she mumbled. 

 

“Of course,” Carmilla said back. 

 

“You must make a really good girlfriend.” 

 

Carmilla blinked. That certainly caught her off guard. 

 

“Well, cupcake, it’s been a while since I’ve been anyone’s girlfriend, but I’ve learned a few things over the years,” She said. “I don’t do this for just any girl, though.” 

 

“Whoever you end up with will be lucky to have you. I hope she knows that.” 

 

Carmilla hummed, praying to whatever deities were out there for strength. She was falling even harder for this girl, and she didn’t know how much longer she could take this before she cracked. 

 

They stayed like that for a little while. Laying there with Laura pressed so closely to her body left little to the imagination, though, and Carmilla soon found her thoughts drifting into dangerous territory, bringing back visions of her dream. Soon her mind began wandering deeper into thought as she wondered what would have happened if her dream wasn't interrupted... 

 

She couldn't let herself go there now. Much like Laura, she needed a distraction. Carmilla reached for her book with one hand and began to read to herself. 

 

“Hey Carm?” Laura asked, sounding drowsy. 

 

“What’s up?” 

 

“Will you read to me?”

 

“I thought you hate my pretentious philosophy texts,” Carmilla protested. “You said they’re boring and pretentious.” 

 

“That’s not important right now. I just... like hearing your voice.” 

 

Carmilla smirked. “Well, alright then.” And so she read to her, keeping her voice low and gentle. At one point in her reading, Laura grabbed onto her free hand and began playing absentmindedly with her fingers, causing Carmilla to pause for the briefest of moments before continuing on. 

 

Laura’s grip on her hand gradually weakened, and before long Carmilla noticed that she had fallen asleep. The medicine must have made her drowsy. 

 

Carmilla leaned forward just the slightest amount and allowed her lips to ghost over the top of Laura’s head, breathing in the scent of her shampoo. The heavy weight against her was starting to wear on her as well, and she soon found herself dozing off as well, all the while holding lazily onto Laura’s hand. 

 

***

 

As they traveled further and further from the storm, the waves died down and the sky transformed from an angry dark grey to a lighter, calmer blanket of clouds until Laura began to seem like her usual self again. She was finally feeling well enough to take a shower, so Carmilla took the opportunity to finally change into some real clothes and tend to her hair, which had dried funny thanks to her neglecting to comb it earlier. 

 

Once Laura was dressed and ready to go, they left the cabin with the cruise pamphlet and daily newsletter in hand. The casino, as it turned out, wouldn't be open until later that day, so they roamed the decks in search of something fun to do. Despite the above-deck activities being cancelled, the ship was very much alive below deck, with crew members scrambling to organize extra events to entertain the passengers: movie screenings, special sales in the gift shops, team trivia events. 

 

Carmilla suggested they spend the day in the library after she found out that the ship had one, but Laura vetoed that decision, claiming that they’d already done enough reading earlier. And Laura’s request to go to the arcade was denied by Carmilla, who feared that there would be too many annoying, snotty little brats hogging all the fun games. 

 

Their quest to find something that they both would enjoy was soon growing hopeless—or so it seemed, until Laura remembered that they had access to exclusive Premium Traveller spaces that would likely be less crowded.

 

The Premium Lounge on the 12th deck turned out to be very suave, furnished with minimalist chairs and tables. Chandeliers hung from the ceiling, providing a pleasant glow. In the center of the room was a bar, and soft jazz music floated through the air from a piano somewhere off on the other side of the room. It was, all frighteningly fancy, and made Carmilla feel a bit self-conscious of her casual clothing.

 

That feeling was fleeting, however, as a familiar voice called out to them. “Hey, Carmilla! Laura! Over here!” 

 

Carmilla oriented herself to the sound to find none other than Barb and Harry, seated at a table, sipping on cocktails. On the table was a towering pile of board games, looking oddly out of place in the swanky environment. 

 

Carmilla pretended not to notice them, but Laura pulled her toward the table before she could plan her escape. 

 

“So nice to see you!” Laura greeted them. 

 

“How have you been? Did you enjoy Hamilton?” Barb asked.

 

“Yes, it was  _ beautiful! _ Thank you so much for suggesting the caves, we had such a great time. And the weather wasn't exactly agreeing with me this morning but I’m feeling much better after spending some quality time with this one,” Laura said, nudging Carmilla with her elbow.

 

“That's so lovely! And this weather is certainly something.” Barb commented.

 

Laura nodded. “Do you mind if we join you?”

 

“Not at all,” Harry said. “We were hoping to find some friends to join in on our board game extravaganza! You’re just in time for Scrabble.”  

 

Laura glanced back at Carmilla, excited. Carmilla sighed, and she wondered how easy it would be to fake being seasick in order to get out of there fast. Playing board games with Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum seemed like her own personal hell at this moment, but she knew that keeping Laura away from a game of Scrabble was harder than herding cats. So she put her distastes aside and pulled up a chair. Laura did the same and began meticulously arranging her tiles. 

 

Laura won by a landslide, unsurprisingly to Carmilla. The rest of the group was was bamboozled by her skills, especially when she used all her letters at once and somehow covered not one but  _ two  _ triple word spaces all in a single turn during the last game. 

 

After that was over, they decided to switch to pictionary, which went considerably worse than the Scrabble game. Laura’s art skills weren’t nearly as refined as her impeccable word-building abilities, and Carmilla still wasn't convinced that her drawing of a cat looked remotely feline. To her, it more closely resembled a potato. 

 

Finally, Harry pulled out a board game that Carmilla didn’t recognize. 

 

Laura tilted her head, scrutinizing the box. “Marriage Mayhem _...  _ How do you play this one?” She asked.

 

“It’s a game to see how well you know your spouse! Everyone gets a whiteboard and a marker. Then, someone from the opposite team draws a card, reads the question, and sets the timer. The person whose turn it is gets to answer the question, and their partner guesses what they’re going to say. We love playing this game with all our coupled friends! It’s kind of like  _ The Newlywed Game _ .” 

 

Carmilla had never seen an episode of  _ The Newlywed Game  _ in her life, but she could already tell that this was going to be a disaster.

 

Laura wrapped an arm around Carmilla’s shoulder. “Oh, that’ll be easy! Carm and I have known each other for practically our entire lives, there’s nothing I don’t know about her. Isn’t that right, babe?” 

 

Carmilla gulped, feeling the tips of her ears redden. “You bet, cupcake.” She turned to Barb and Harry. “You two are going down.” 

 

Barb handed small whiteboards and a marker to each player. “The rules say that the team who has been together the longest goes first, which would be us. Harry, why don’t you start? Laura, will you draw a card and read the question?” 

 

“Sure!” Laura drew a card. “Harry, what is Barb’s favorite date location?” 

 

The couple scribbled their responses on their whiteboards, both finishing long before the timer ran out. “Okay, what’s your guess?”

 

Harry flipped over her whiteboard and revealed her answer. “That one was easy. The movies!”

 

Barb smiled and turned hers around too. “That’s right! Yay, one point for us!” She said, marking their score card. “Now it’s Laura’s turn.” Reading from the card, she said, “Laura, which of Carmilla’s family members do you find the most intimidating?” 

 

Carmilla didn’t even need to think about it. She quickly scrawled “Mother” on her whiteboard. 

 

“Let’s see what you both wrote,” Harry said. Both girls showed their answers, revealing another match. Sure enough, Carmilla’s mother was the answer. 

 

Now it was Barb’s turn. Laura drew the card and read it to her. “Barb: what drink best describes Harry’s personality?”

 

Barb had written down “daiquiri”, but Harry revealed that she thought of herself as more of a margarita. 

 

Next was Carmilla’s turn. Her question was “What is Laura’s most annoying habit?” to which she answered “running off without warning.” Laura had incorrectly guessed “talking too much.” 

 

In the following round, Harry was asked what she thought Barb’s best talent was. They both answered “Baking.” 

 

“She makes a lovely blueberry pie. You’ll have to come visit us sometime so you can try it for yourselves,” Harry commented.

 

Once again, it was Laura’s time to answer a question.

 

“Laura, where did you and Carmilla go on your honeymoon?” Barb asked, then frowned. “Wait, we already know that, it’s happening right now! Let’s draw a new card. “Okay, here’s a better one: Where do you see yourself and Carmilla in five years?”

 

Laura smiled. “I have a whole five-year plan, I don’t know if I’ll be able to fit it all on this tiny whiteboard!” she joked. 

 

Carmilla cursed silently. The other questions had been so easy to answer as friends, but this one wasn't quite as straightforward.  _ ‘Come on, Karnstein. Think of something, you idiot!’  _

 

Soon enough, the last grain of sand fell from the timer. Carmilla flipped over her board, embarrassed. All she had written was “Toronto?”

 

That earned a laugh from her opponents  _ and  _ her teammate. “Taking the question literally, I see,” Barb teased. “Well, Laura? What’s your answer?” 

 

“I didn’t write Toronto on my board, but just for the record, I see us living there too,” Laura giggled. She turned her whiteboard over, on which she had written “Happily married and just as in love as I am now.” She had filled up the extra space on the board with hearts. 

 

_ ‘What. The. Hell,’  _ she thought to herself. How was Laura able to play along so easily? How did make herself sound so convincing?

 

“Oh, how sweet! I think you deserve a point just because that was so cute,” Harry squealed.

 

Carmilla gazed at Laura, who beamed back at her, then turned back around to face Barb and Harry. She shrugged. “Carm is my best friend, and I can't think of anyone else in the world who makes me feel as loved and appreciated.” 

 

Laura leaned in and kissed Carmilla on the cheek, earning another round of “awws” from the other players. Meanwhile, Carmilla’s heart was about to leap out of her chest.  She knew it wasn’t real, but that didn’t stop her from smiling like an idiot and placing a hand on the spot on her cheek where Laura’s lips had been only a moment ago. 

 

Then, her stomach grumbled, reminding her that neither of them had eaten all day due to Laura’s plans of calling room service being thwarted.  _ ‘Finally,’  _ she thought. ‘ _ A way out.’  _

 

“Hey cutie, I’m starting to get hungry. Want to grab something to eat soon?” she asked Laura, giving her a pointed look. 

 

“Yeah, that sounds great right about now. My appetite is finally back,” Laura said. “These games were super fun, but we’re gonna head out and get some food,” she announced to the rest of the table.

 

Just as she was about to stand up from her chair, Carmilla caught a glimpse of Laura’s famous smile, the one that appeared when she came up with a brilliant idea. “Hey, why don’t you two come with us?” 

 

Barb looked at Harry, who nodded. “We’d love to!” 

 

It took all of Carmilla’s energy to stop herself from groaning. 

 

***

 

Dinner with Barb and Harry was just as awful as Carmilla expected. They spent the meal exchanging stories, with topics ranging from previous vacations to college anecdotes to embarrassing childhood tales. Carmilla almost murdered Laura for telling them about The Chokoa Crunch Incident. No one was supposed to know about that.

 

Thankfully, she and Laura were able to get rid of them shortly after that, but not before Laura suggested they hang out again soon. Carmilla rolled her eyes, earning herself a jab in the side from Laura’s elbow. 

 

Now they found themselves strolling through the atrium, side by side and hand in hand, the way they always did when they walked anywhere lately. 

 

“Thanks for being such a good sport today,” Laura said. “I know this probably wasn't your definition of fun.” 

 

“It's fine. At least pretending to be married to you was entertaining,” Carmilla reassured her. “That was some impressive acting on your part.” 

 

“Haha, yeah,” Laura said. “Acting.” 

 

“We’ll have to do it again sometime,” she teased. 

 

“I wouldn't want to be fake married to anyone other than you.” Laura laughed, shaking her head. “We’re never gonna be able to tell them we’re not actually married, are we?”

 

“They'd be devastated,” Carmilla added. “So, are we going to try out some slot machines or what? I’m feeling lucky.”

 

***

 

That night, Carmilla lay in bed and stared sleeplessly at the ceiling with Laura curled up at her side, fast asleep. Her deep, slow breaths and the warmth radiating from her would normally have lulled Carmilla into a peaceful sleep but tonight it did nothing to soothe her. Her mind was far too occupied to focus on anything else. 

 

Laura’s words from earlier that day still echoed in her mind. First the comment about her being a good girlfriend that nearly knocked the wind out of her, then her answer to the Marriage Mayhem question about being in love, followed by the cheek kiss that short-circuited her mind.

 

Carmilla rubbed at her temples, then ran a hand through her hair. Surely Laura wasn’t being serious when she said those things. The girlfriend comment had no implications. The kiss was only for show. Obviously Laura didn’t have feelings for her. 

 

...Right? 

 

Unless she did. Was it possible?

 

No. There wasn’t a chance. They were best friends, nothing else. 

 

Laura would probably laugh if she knew Carmilla even entertained the possibility of Laura having feelings for her. She’d laugh it off, say something silly like “Ew, no! We’re best friends. That would be like... dating my sister!”

 

Or worse: She’d grow uncomfortable around Carmilla, embarrassed to have been conveying the wrong message all this time. She’d stop being so affectionate, stop sleeping next to her, stop unintentionally insinuating that she loved her as anything other than a friend. 

 

Besides, she was just getting out of a long-term relationship, which she apparently ended because she didn’t want the commitment. Obviously she wasn’t looking for anything serious at the moment. 

 

Which is why Carmilla vowed never to tell her about her feelings. She couldn’t risk scaring Laura away. 

 

Beside her, Laura shifted. She exhaled, letting out the softest sigh and a murmur that sounded an awful lot like “Carm,” before snuggling in closer. 

 

Carmilla let out a breath and began to relax, tracing along the contour of Laura’s shoulder and trying not to let herself wonder too much about what the girl beside her was dreaming of. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Sorry this chapter was a bit short and uneventful, but I've got big plans for the following chapters and I hope you enjoy the journey!


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The ship arrives at Corvae Cruises' private island resort and the girls have a fun day of snorkeling, dancing, and sandcastle-building. But can Carmilla handle the heat?

When the phrase “private island resort” was used to describe Corvid Cay, Carmilla wasn't quite sure what to expect. A tiny, secluded island with a hotel, a nice beach, a couple palm trees maybe. Nothing too big or fancy. 

 

The real Corvid Cay was far from what she had been picturing, to say the least. 

 

The island, surrounded by a vast coral reef and a calm, cyan ocean, was  _ huge _ —even bigger than the campus of Silas University, where she and Laura had spent their college years. They had watched excitedly from the balcony early that morning as the ship approached and docked on the seemingly endless stretch of coastline, where rows and rows of brightly-colored umbrellas dotted the pristine white sand on the beach. Just a little further inland, surrounded by lush greenery, stood an extremely lavish hotel, which towered over an elaborate fountain and a sparkling swimming pool.

 

Carmilla thought it a bit excessive to install a pool there when the ocean was only a few steps away, but with such luxury, who was she to complain? She longed to lounge around on the beach all day under the shady comfort of an umbrella, a drink in hand and Laura at her side while they watched the brilliant sun setting over the colorful sea.

 

And yet, before she could do any of that, Laura whisked her off to sign them both up for a snorkeling trip. 

 

Carmilla just couldn't say no to the girl. 

 

And that was how she found herself standing on the back of a boat a few dozen meters off the coast, clad in ridiculously cumbersome flippers and holding a snorkel and a mask in her hands. She peered into the clear blue ocean as their guide demonstrated techniques and reviewed the rules with the group: stay with a buddy, swim back to the boat when you hear the whistle, and by any means, do not touch any fish or coral—you could find yourself in a lot of pain, or possibly even die. 

 

“Cupcake, your dad is gonna kill me when he finds out I let you go snorkeling on a reef with painful, poisonous sea creatures.” She whispered to Laura. 

 

“Nah, he’s not gonna kill you,” Laura hissed. “He might have a heart attack though.” 

 

“At least you didn’t pick parasailing.” 

 

“I thought about it. And it's not too late to sign up if you really want to.” 

 

Carmilla rolled her eyes, then fastened her mask to her face, checking to see if it was tight enough. Soon it was time to depart from the boat and enter the deep blue, which they did side by side. 

 

Swimming with the flippers on wasn’t easy at first—she felt clumsy and had a hard time finding the right pace to kick her legs. It also took her a bit of practice to get over the weird feeling of breathing through the snorkel, but in no time she was gliding through the water, looking down at the extraordinary ocean life below her. 

 

The first thing she saw when she dipped her head underwater were fish. They were absolutely everywhere. Fish of all shapes and sizes, colors and patterns, fins and tails, flitting off in every which direction like a bustling city. Some moved together in unison, while others seemed to deviate from the rhythm set by the others. They darted in and out of the spaces in between the coral. Carmilla stopped to admire the strange shapes and textures of the coral, the way it towered and twisted below her.

 

The whole sight was magically unreal. Carmilla half expected some cartoon crab to come out of nowhere and start singing some cheesy song about how great everything was down there, or for a panicking anthropomorphic clownfish to ask her if she’d seen his son.

 

They had been in the water for only a few minutes before Carmilla learned that snorkeling wasn’t exactly an activity compatible with Laura’s habits—mainly because Laura is the kind of person who really likes to talk, and talking is very hard to do with a mouthful of snorkel. The girl swimming beside her was pointing and making frantic gestures as she swam, occasionally producing a few odd noises that were muffled by both the snorkel equipment and the ocean water surrounding Carmilla’s ears. 

 

Carmilla paused her swimming and pushed herself to the surface, removing the snorkel from her mouth. Laura did the same, and looked at her, eyes gleaming, as they tread the water.  

 

“What?” Carmilla asked, confused. 

 

“I was saying, look at all these fish, there’s so many of them and they’re all so colorful! I’ve never seen these many kinds of fish before except for maybe that time we went to the aquarium on that field trip in like 7th grade. But even then, I’ve never seen them  _ up close  _ before. This is the coolest thing we’ve done on this trip so far. I feel like a mermaid!” Laura gushed. “Oh, and Carm?”

 

“Yeah?” She said. 

 

“Your leg is dangerously close to a sea urchin right now.”

 

Carmilla looked down past the wobbly surface of the waves, where sure enough, she was only inches away from getting stabbed by the prickly spines of an urchin. She carefully swam away from the spiny sea creature and toward Laura, who had already fixed her mask and dived down under the surface. Carmilla did the same, and followed her down under the sea once more. Once she did, Laura extended her hand and grasped Carmilla’s, and they swam together side by side, letting their flippers guide them through the water. They took turns pointing at their favorite fish and coral and sea urchins, occasionally coming up to fix their snorkels or discuss a particularly interesting sight. At one point a giant turtle glided majestically past them through the clear water as if it was flying. 

 

This was one of the many times on their vacation where Carmilla admired Laura’s endearing natural curiosity and appreciation for the world. The way Laura’s eyes lit up and the changes in her body language made her heart swell. She loved watching the way this girl looked at the universe with such wonder. In some ways, these were even more breathtaking sights than the reef they had traveled thousands of miles to see. 

 

Maybe it wasn't her ideal way to start their day, but she wouldn't trade these views for anything. 

 

***

 

After returning to the island and drying off (and after Carmilla  _ insisted  _ to Laura that no, she was absolutely sure she did  _ not _ want to try parasailing over the ocean or zip-lining through the palm trees), the pair set off to peruse the other festivities happening at the resort. They eventually stumbled upon a pavilion at the other end of the beach, where a barbecue was going on, complete with loud music, dancing, and lots and lots of food. 

 

“Oh thank hufflepuff, I’m  _ starving,”  _ Laura exclaimed over the beat of the reggaeton track currently playing, and she joined the line for the buffet with Carmilla following not too far behind.  After filling their plates, they picked a spot at one of the long nearby tables and happily dug into their lunch. 

 

“I can’t believe I’m saying this, but am  _ so  _ glad that storm sent us on this little detour. Totally worth getting seasick yesterday,” Laura said in between bites of corn on the cob. “This place is incredible!” 

 

“It’s certainly nice,” Carmilla agreed, surveying the place. The sun was still out in full force and the beach remained littered with people in various states of activity, sprawled out on blankets and lounging under umbrellas and splashing in the ocean and and kicking up clouds of sand at the volleyball nets. 

 

“We should try to book a real vacation here someday. That super fancy hotel looks like it could give the ship a run for its money.” Laura gestured to where the resort stood, tall and glittering against the palm trees. 

 

Carmilla’s heart skipped a beat at the insinuation that she was involved in Laura’s future vacation planning. 

 

“Maybe for your next honeymoon,” she teased, the remark coming out a bit too disaffected and bitter to purely be light-hearted teasing. 

 

Laura didn't seem to pick up on it. “Well, it probably won't be as fun as this one. You're the best travel buddy,” she said cheerfully. 

 

Great.  _ Travel buddy.  _ Exactly what Carmilla wanted to be called. 

 

“By the way,” Laura continued. “I think that girl over there is checking you out.” She glanced to the left, where a lanky brunette in a bright red bikini was sitting, sipping her drink and barely looking their way. 

 

Carmilla tried to brush it off. “Huh? I don't think so.” 

 

“Look at her, she totally is! Want me to be your wingwoman? You know how great I am at helping you score a date. It’ll be just like old times in university!”

 

“Uh, no, that's okay, cupcake. She’s not really my type, and I’m not looking for—” 

 

“How long has it been since you last went on a date? Or hooked up with someone? You haven't talked to me about girls in  _ ages _ .” Laura pried. 

 

Carmilla ran her fingers through her ocean-tousled hair. What was up with Laura? One second she was kissing Carmilla on the cheek and pretending to be her wife and talking about booking another vacation together, the next she was calling her ‘travel buddy’ and trying to set her up with some random chick that didn’t even look that interested. It just didn't add up. Carmilla was utterly bewildered by the mixed signals Laura had been giving her throughout the trip, and it was only getting worse as the days flew by and the ship sailed on.

 

Luckily, she was saved from answering that awkward barrage of questions as the music changed. Laura’s face lit up. “Ooh, I love this song!” She exclaimed. 

 

Thankful for a way out of that mess, Carmilla stood from the table and extended her hand to Laura. “Dance with me, cutie,” she said as Laura stood up to join her.

 

Taking Laura’s hand in hers, Carmilla lead them to the other side of the pavilion, closer to the speakers, where a group of guests had gathered earlier to dance. They faced each other, and Laura grinned when Carmilla reached for her other hand. The two girls moved their hips to the rhythm of the beating drums, hands interlocked. Even with the space between their bodies, she could feel the electricity in the air around them.

 

Laura let go of Carmilla’s hands in exchange for wrapping them around her shoulders. Carmilla followed her lead, placing her hands on Laura’s hips, and they continued dancing. They were dangerously close, and once again, Carmilla found herself distracted by the fullness of Laura’s lips and the lively sparkle in her eyes, her sun-kissed skin, and her defined biceps, exposed by the sleeveless floral top she put on over her swimsuit. 

 

They spent the next several songs dancing until they both grew tired, at which point Carmilla led them back down to the beach. The pair claimed a spot by one of the huge pink umbrellas that lined the sand, and Carmilla promptly plopped down on one of the beach chairs under it. Laura, on the other hand, took off her tank top, once again exposing her yellow bikini top and perfect abs, before setting her towel down beside Carmilla’s chair, just outside of the umbrella’s shade. She stretched out on the towel and placed her hands behind her head, basking in the sunlight, eyes closed and smiling. 

 

A resort employee stopped by to offer them complimentary drinks, which they gladly accepted. He took their orders and returned moments later with two very fancy looking glasses embellished with tiny paper umbrellas and swirly straws. 

 

Carmilla took a sip of her drink, letting the refreshing flavors and the peaceful ambient sounds of the beach take her away to the beach day she had had in mind. She breathed in and out with the tide, filling her lungs with salty air and letting go of her cares with every exhale. 

 

A short while later, she noticed movement out of the corner of her eye. 

 

“Hey,” Laura said, staring at Carmilla through her large sunglasses. “What are you doing all the way over there?” 

 

“Avoiding the sun. Not all of us are built for tanning, remember,” Carmilla responded. 

 

“Whatever you say, Morticia Addams,” Laura teased.  

 

Carmilla stuck her tongue out at her. 

 

“I guess you’ll just have to miss out on building a sandcastle with me,” she continued, propping herself up on her elbows and moving to a seated position. 

 

Carmilla gave her a puzzled look. “A sandcastle? Really?” She asked dryly.

 

“Live a little, Carm! We’re being spontaneous, remember? When was the last time you built a sandcastle anyway?” 

 

“Uh, first grade in the sandbox on the playground? You were there probably.” 

 

Laura raised her eyebrows, staring at Carmilla sternly. “Humor me.” 

 

“Okay, fine.” She slipped out of the beach chair she had been lounging in and joined Laura on her towel. 

 

Laura’s face lit up, and she scooted over to make room for Carmilla on her towel. She had no idea when or how Laura had managed to scrounge up a shovel and pail from the beach, but she handed Carmilla the bright green plastic shovel and placed the matching pail in front of them, and they quickly got to work.

 

Carmilla dug deep into the sand and began filling the bucket, scoop by scoop. As stupid as the whole thing was, she had to admit that building the sandcastle did make her feel relaxed and nostalgic. It brought memories of elementary school, of playing in the sandbox with Laura in a time before ex-fiances and canceled weddings and unrequited crushes on best friends. Of simpler times.

 

“Remember making mud pies with the mad ginger scientist in elementary school?” She asked Laura. 

 

“Haha, yeah. Perry used to get so annoyed at us,” Laura reminisced, remembering how their friend refused to join in on their fun, often trying to coax them into less muddy activities on the playground. (Lafontaine was usually the only one to comply with her requests, and even then, it took an ample amount of convincing on Perry’s part.) 

 

“Even back then, Susie Homemaker was a neat freak.” 

 

“Well, at least she didn't have a penchant for destruction like  _ someone _ I know.” Laura looked up, staring Carmilla down in a way that was accusatory but also playful.

 

“Okay, I might have been a bit of a troubled child, but I think I turned out alright. And you caused just as much chaos as I did,” Carmilla retorted. 

 

She recalled how, as a child, Laura had been quite the adventurous tomboy with a competitive streak and a knack for mischief, never afraid to get dirty or run headfirst into trouble. She was constantly up to something and sticking her nose in places she shouldn’t, like the time she led a kindergarten uprising against the evils of princess culture, or her fourth grade escapades that led to unveiling the vice principal’s embezzling scheme. 

 

Laura scoffed. “Whatever you say, Karnstein the Destroyer.” 

 

She did have a point. Carmilla, unlike Laura, was quiet and often reluctant to drop her books in the name of pursuing the next great adventure, but that certainly didn't mean she was a goody two-shoes. In fact, she was a rebellious child and being around Laura certainly brought out her rambunctious side. She served as Laura’s most loyal accomplice, ready to bail her best friend out of jail at any moment. 

 

Not to mention that she also had a bit of a temper, and a hard time controlling it, which tended to land her in troubles of her own. She had a reputation for visiting the principal’s office on multiple occasions on the grounds of destroying several classmates’ block towers—but in her defense, they almost always deserved it. 

 

Finally, they had enough sand in the bucket to pack down and flip over onto the flattened space in front of them.

 

“Alright, it’s done,” Carmilla said, glancing at the less-than impressive lump of sand before her. She was about to return to her spot under the umbrella when Laura grabbed her forearm. 

 

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, where are you going? We’re not finished here. It still needs towers and a moat and windows. And a drawbridge! Where’s your sense of creativity?” 

 

“Ugh, alright.” Carmilla took the shovel and got to work on digging the moat, while Laura scooped up some sand and started sculpting some towers. 

 

One moat, three towers, and a few decorative seashells later, the sandcastle was finished. They admired their work for a moment, and Laura even took out her phone to snap a photo of Carmilla sitting beside it, much to her chagrin. “Proof that I got Carmilla Karnstein, her royal broodiness, to build a sandcastle,” she called it.

 

“Excellent work, cutie. I think we make a great team. Now can I get back under the umbrella?” Carmilla asked. “I can feel myself burning up.”

 

“Hmm. Not quite. There’s just one more thing left to do. Something you taught me when we were kids,” Laura said with a hint of mischief in her eyes. She slowly got up to her feet.

 

“Laura, no.” Carmilla stepped back as Laura sprung to her feet. “Don’t you dare destroy that sandcastle. We put so much work into it,” she whined. 

 

But it was too late. Seconds later, Laura’s bare foot had crashed into the structure, squashing it into an amorphous lump and letting out an evil laugh.

 

Carmilla stared at her, mouth gaping. “I can’t believe you just did that. You little—” 

 

Before she could finish her sentence, Laura turned on her heels and dashed across the sand toward the water. 

 

Carmilla kicked off her sandals and removed the loose band t-shirt she was using as a cover-up, tossing both onto the towel before running toward the sea after Laura. “I’ll get you for that, Hollis!” 

 

***

 

Hey Carm, you okay? You’ve been in there a while,” Laura called from outside the bathroom door. 

 

“Uh yeah, I’m fine,” Carmilla responded. 

 

She wasn’t fine. 

 

Carmilla craned her neck to stare at herself in the mirror from over her shoulder, defeatedly examining her back. It was raw and red, save for a few thin, pale lines where the straps of her swimsuit had been. She pressed her fingers against the hot skin and pulled away, flinching at the discomfort and watching the white marks they left behind gradually disappear. 

 

Even with the copious amounts of sunscreen she had slathered on and reapplied throughout the day, it wasn’t enough to protect her from the hours she spent in direct sunlight. 

 

God, she was such an idiot. She should have just stayed out of the sun entirely.

 

Carmilla fixed her bikini top and left the bathroom. She found Laura in the bedroom, sitting on the bed in her pajamas, looking at her phone, carefully swiping left to right. 

 

“Cupcake? Please tell me we packed aloe. Lots of it,” she whined. 

 

“Yeah, I have some in my bag,” Laura replied. She glanced up from her phone and Carmilla watched her furrow her eyebrows at the sight of Carmilla’s terribly burnt shoulders. “Oh my gosh, Carm, that looks so painful!” she tutted, springing to her feet. 

 

“It’s okay, really. Doesn't even hurt,” Carmilla insisted, lying. “I’ve had worse.” Another lie. 

 

Laura rummaged through her suitcase for a moment, then handed her the bottle of aloe vera. “Here you go.” 

 

Carmilla thanked her, examining the bottle’s label. 

 

“You want any help?” Laura asked. “I don't mind, really.”

 

“Nah, I got it. Thanks though.” Carmilla returned to the bathroom, where she squeezed a generous amount of green gel onto her hands and immediately slathered it onto her shoulders. She winced at first, but the gel slowly worked its magic and at last she felt the cooling relief. 

 

The only problem was that the sun had burned her in some pretty inconvenient places. No matter how she bent and stretched, she just couldn't reach that one spot between her shoulder blades. 

 

She admitted her defeat, poking her head out of the bathroom. “Hey Cupcake? On second thought, I think I’m gonna need some help after all.”

 

Laura giggled, then followed her back into the bathroom. “Doctor Hollis, at your service.” 

 

Carmilla exhaled, trying to convince herself that the whole situation wasn't as awkward as she felt. No, there was nothing awkward about standing there in the bathroom, clutching her untied swimsuit top to her chest as while the girl of her dreams massaged aloe onto her bare back. Nothing awkward at all. Just best friends helping each other out in a totally platonic way.

 

She shivered as Laura made contact with her skin. 

 

Laura jerked her hands away. “Sorry, are my hands cold?” She asked.

 

“No, it's fine. Feels good actually,” Carmilla choked out. 

 

“Oh. Okay.” Laura continued working the aloe onto Carmilla’s back, occasionally making little sympathetic noises. “I don't understand, you put on so much sunscreen,” she fretted. 

 

Carmilla hummed. “Guess I’m just not cut out for tropical vacations.”

 

“Poor little vampire. Burnt to a crisp.” 

 

Carmilla snickered. “Well, at least this vampire’s lucky enough to have you taking care of me.” 

 

“Hey, it’s  the least I can do after you nursed me back to health yesterday,” Laura reassured her. “Besides, you need to be in top shape for tomorrow. We’ve got a lot to do.”

 

“Can't wait to find out what you’ve got planned for us. Unless it’s parasailing.” 

 

Laura scoffed. “Maybe it  _ is _ parasailing. But you won't know until tomorrow.” 

 

“I look forward to it.” 

 

Laura continued gently rubbing Carmilla’s back in silence, until she pulled away. “Okay, that should do it,” she said softly.

 

Carmilla planned to turn around so she could thank Laura, but stopped dead in her tracks as she sense Laura lean closer to her. Suddenly, she felt a soft pair of lips just barely graze the spot where her right shoulder met the back of her neck. The lips lingered there for the briefest of moments, until just like that, they were gone, as if they were never there. 

 

But they were there. The kiss sent a shiver down Carmilla’s spine, freezing her in place. 

 

“Thank you,” she was finally able to manage. She turned around to face Laura, but avoided making eye contact with the girl. 

 

“Of course! What are friends for? Anyway, I’m going to take a shower now. I really need to get all of that salt out of my hair. And I’ve got sand everywhere and it’s getting pretty uncomfortable, if you know what I mean. Unless you aren't done in here, in which case I’ll wait. I can get all soapy and naked some other time.” Laura’s eyes widened. “I mean—not soapy and naked! I bathe soapless and with my clothes on! Agh!” 

 

Carmilla stifled laughter, somewhat relieved that Laura seemed to be just as jumpy and tense as she was feeling in that moment. But that thought was quickly fleeting, as the visual image associated with Laura’s previous sentence quickly took over.

 

She swallowed hard. “Breathe, cupcake. I know what you mean. And yeah, I’m done in here. Enjoy your shower,” she said, slipping out of the bathroom and closing the door behind her. 

 

She changed into a loose t-shirt and some sleep shorts, then crawled into bed, retreating under the fluffy covers. She lay in bed for what felt like forever, trying to find a comfortable position that didn't irritate her skin and listening to the gentle thrum of the shower in the next room over. Maybe it was from the sunburn, or maybe it was from the ghost of a kiss, but her entire body tingled, keeping her awake. 

 

She rolled over, burying her face into her pillow. 

 

When Laura returned from her shower, which had taken an unusually long amount of time, Carmilla pretended to already be asleep. She felt the bed dip as usual, but the anticipated feeling of Laura inching closer and draping an arm around her hip never came. Carmilla chose to believe Laura just didn’t want to hurt her by putting pressure on her sunburnt torso, but deep down a part of her knew Laura was keeping her distance for other reasons. 

 

They remained on their respective sides of the bed that night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Pride Month, here's a new chapter to celebrate! The first half kinda gave me a hard time, but I'm happy with how it worked out in the end. Thanks for reading!

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you liked the first chapter! This fic will (hopefully) be updated regularly, so be sure to subscribe for notifications. You can also find me [on tumblr](Http://ukulelekatie.tumblr.com). Thanks for reading :)


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